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Dear Editor,

Two articles on Local Government on April 13^th clearly show that The Irish Times doesn’t  understand the reality that the Citizens Assembly on a directly elected Mayor for Dublin was established to delay reform not advance it.

If the Government and more importantly the destructive Department of Housing and Local Government want a directly elected Mayor for Dublin or to reform Local Government they simply need to do it. There has never been a plebiscite on the removal of powers that has occurred consistently over the last thirty years or so. There has been no plebiscite on the broken promises on reimbursement of Domestic Rates of the hijacking of LPT by National Government. There has never been a plebiscite on the current planned destruction of the Joint Policing Committees or the removal of powers under the Planning and Development Bill.

  As we face into Local Elections perhaps The Irish Times might lead the way by focusing on Local Government from the elected members point of view instead of the Executive.

Perhaps too that coverage will no longer be based on whose son, daughter, cousin, nephew or niece will inherit the family seat or what the results will mean for a party leader etc etc and will instead focus on the policies and ideas promoted. It will make a nice change and it might even give our country and counties, politics and politicians that deliver. 

Yours sincerely,

Councillor Dermot Lacey

Dear Editor,

So former Green Party Councillor and now regular Irish Times columnist Sadhbh O’Neill (“At a time of Climate Crisis 28th March”) wants age quotas and term limits to be added to the restrictions imposed on the electorate on their choice for Local Government representatives.

I too want to see more young people involved in politics but the selection of Public Representatives must remain an unfettered decision of the people. Having served on Dublin City Council since 1993 and re-elected at every election since,  neither my commitment nor energy has dimmed in the slightest. Indeed if you compare my submissions, motions and questions to the Council against that of many of my younger colleagues the balance would clearly be in my favour. 

So, yes, we should support and encourage under-represented groups and individuals to enter politics but us “more experienced” ones have a lot of life left in us yet. There are new ideas about housing, waterways, local infrastructure, planning and more that I want to pursue. There is also the longstanding but necessary battle to reform Local Government that is so necessary for our Country. At the end of the day, the people, through casting their votes in the ballot box will decide – and Yes I am glad of that.

Yours sincerely,

Councillor Dermot Lacey

Dear Editor,

Jacqui McCrum, Secretary General of the Department of Defence, lauds the increases in Soldiers Pay and conditions to approximately E40,000 per annum after three years serving our Country.

In contrast, Secretary Generals of Government Departments salaries range from E230,780 to E258, 825 per annum. As someone who daily has to deal with the results of these peoples “Leadership” I applaud the real service given by the under paid soldiers.

Yours sincerely,

Dermot Lacey