Landmark Scheme (Letter to the Editor)
Letter to the Editor of The Irish Times, 29th July 2004
Madam,
Your Editorial “Landmark scheme” (28th July) was as welcome as it was unusual, in that it painted an accurate, if all to rare portrayal, of the work of Dublin City Council.
More than that, it indicated the wonderful possibilities for this City if the potential and enthusiasm of the staff of the Council, together with the energy of the newly elected Councillors – and the re-elected ones – could be released from the straight jacket caused by the restrictions and limitations imposed by the so called Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
The piecemeal and regressive changes to Local Government experienced over the last seven years have led to an unaccountable and very often powerless system. Let the next five years be the period in which Government finally gives us the reforms, including financial reform, so needed and so lacking. As I have written before The Irish Times has led many a move for reform in our society Local Government and in particular provision for a directly elected Mayor could be that next cause.
Yours sincerely,
Councillor Dermot Lacey
66 Beech Hill Drive,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.
Telephone: 087-2646960
