Galway In Days Gone By

Abolishing councils

The abolition of things that are altogether bad is for the good of humanity; but the Government of the newly established Irish Free State has abolished century-old institutions not because they are altogether bad, but because they are merely in efficient as run by public representatives who have long outstayed their mandate.

The proposed abolition of rural district councils throughout the country has raised a storm of protest; for the work of these bodies, while it may seem relatively insignificant to those in the seats of the mighty Upper Merrion-st., looms large in importance in the mind of the people whom it intimately concerns.

If on first view it may seem that a sprit of apathy prevails in regard to local government in rural areas, the reason is not far to seek.

The chief fault lies with the very ministers, who now propose by lightening legislation to wipe out councils whose mandate and whose work they have prevented from being submitted to the people.

The centralisation of authority is all very well within carefully defined limits; but no one will suggest that it is anything but the very negation of democratic government to “centralise” the work of a vast area in a single council, which is compelled to hand over a great portion of its work to committees that are nominated and not elected.

Pictured: The Wheelbarrow Race during Coolarne sports on June 14, 1970.