“Pro-active councillors” are being “muzzled” by the “right wing coalition” in the Galway City Council who are trying to prevent important motions from getting onto the agenda for council meetings.
This is the allegation of Labour councillor Billy Cameron against the Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and independent former PD councillors, who recently backed a motion limiting the number of motions a councillor can place on the council meeting agenda.
At a recent Galway City Council meeting, a series of proposals from the procedures committee came before councillors for adoption.
The procedures committee in City Hall is made up of the Mayor Declan McDonnell together with a councillor from each of the political parties represented in the council. It looks at the procedures and protocols of the council and recommends additions or amendments to the Standing Orders.
While many of the recommendations were unanimously adopted, one, preventing councillors from putting more than three motions on the agenda was contentious. However it was passed with the support of the FF/FG/ex-PD councillors, despite opposition from Labour.
Previously councillors were allowed place numerous motions on the agenda. According to Cllr Cameron, this was not only democratic, but allowed councillors to raise important matters quickly.
“It may have taken some time to get a reply to a motion from officials but at least councillors could, at the request of a residents’ association, community group, sports club, specific interest groups react immediately and then await reply or discussion,” he said.
Cllr Cameron said the new ruling will mean motions regarding national policy and seeking information on national issues will suffer as councillors will be forced to focus on only the “parish pump motions”.
“What the controlling pact have done is to play into the hands of the manager and officials and dilute the already few powers within their own remit,” he said. “It is a blatant insult and hampering of local government and true democracy and an attempt to muzzle pro-active councillors.”
