Galway Advertiser 2000/2000_12_28/GA_28122000_E1_008.pdf 

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Council to rethink policy on replies to non-councillors
by Una Sinnott
alway County Council will reconsider a controversial decision to provide written replies to representations oaly t o members of the local authority and the Oireachtas following complaints from one of its own councillors. to the county council. As a written replies. "As elected Cllr Pat Hynes -- who is councillors, and meets town commissioner, he was representatives, the town also a member of Loughrea regularly to discuss, review, unable to recieve replies commissioners and urban Town Commission -- and implement policy on from the council for district councillors arc alleged that the council's behalf of the local authority. entitled to written replies on "From 1979 to 1995 while submissions he made on policy of providing no behalf of their constituents," I was on Loughrea Town behalf of his Loughrea written replies to constituents following the he asserted. submissions made by public Commission I always got His comments were replies to change in policy. representatives who are not written Although he has received echoed by Cllr Seamus councillors on behalf of their submissions," said Hynes, replies from the county Walsh. "I am not a member constituents amounts to who has also referred the of the Western Health Board, matter to the Office of the council since he was elected discrimination on the part of but if I made a submission to Ombudsman. "I am now a to the local authority in the local authority. 1999, Hynes has continued them on behalf of one of my However, the county county councillor and I am to oppose the c o u n c i l ' s constituents I would get a council has contended that getting written replies, but reply," he said. policy regarding written the policy -- which came what about my colleagues on However, Cllr Jimmy Town replies to members of town into effect in 1995 -- is Loughrea McCleam contended that an commissions. necessary to ensure optimum Commission? "We gave this a lot of increased workloads for "The proposal to have this service to councillors consideration, bearing in council staff could result in a themselves. At a recent adopted and put in as policy mind the volume of business drop in the standard of meeting of the local just isn't on. This policy that is being conducted by service to councillors. "I authority, councillors agreed does not apply as far as I council staff," explained have no difficulty with who to refer the matter back to know in other councils. It's corporate policy g r o u p gets replies, but I certainly the corporate policy group totally contrary to the member Cllr Seamus Gavin. won't support anything that for further discussions principles of better local "The problem only applies will interfere with the government." following Hynes' objections. quality of service to the According to Hynes, the in a few cases. I can see the The county council's councillors," he maintained. policy was introduced in issue arises in relation to corporate policy group After discussing the issue town commissioners. We 1995, before he was elected comprises six county with the councillors, council could incorporate a proposal that it will include the chairperson Connie Ni Fhalharta agreed to refer the elected members of town matter back to the corporate commissions as well." Cllr Joe Burke was also policy group -- which she concerned by the also chairs -- for further implications of excluding discussion. other local authorities from

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