Mayo councillor criticises colleague’s view on municipal districts

Councillor Michael Kilcoyne, a long-serving independent elected member of Castlebar Municipal District, has strongly disagreed with Fianna Fáil representative Al McDonnell's assertion that municipal districts work better than town councils do.

Kilcoyne, who was elected to Castlebar Town Council in 1999 before later joining the county council in 2009, offered his perspective on the matter.

He began by comparing McDonnell's statement to someone trying to describe what it's like sitting in the Dáil or Senate without having ever served there.

This disagreement underlines a larger debate over the effectiveness of different local governance structures.

One key point Kilcoyne raised is the size of Castlebar Municipal District, which he likened to the entire county of Louth.

This vast expanse, he argued, presents challenges in managing and governing effectively.

Financial concerns were also on Kilcoyne's mind, as he highlighted the difficulty of revenue generation within the municipal district.

He pointed out that planning fees collected were not being reinvested in the town, and suggested that funds from car park meters should ideally be spent on town development.

Another significant issue cited by Kilcoyne is the diminishing level of representation.

He noted a disconnect between councillors and residents, stating that representation from residents' associations had declined, leaving people feeling increasingly disconnected from local issues.

Kilcoyne spoke on the knowledge councillors have of the municipal district not being the same as town councillors had with the town. This, he argued, is primarily due to the larger and more diverse nature of the district.

To compound the issue, Kilcoyne said there are now fewer outdoor staff in the council compared to earlier times.

“There are barely 10 staff for the town compared to 30 ten years ago,” Kilcyone remarked, a major feature hindering their ability to address local issues effectively.