TOWN COUNCILLOR STUNNED BY LACK OF PROGRESS
The people of Fermoy should be given the opportunity to tell their elected councillors just what they think of their progress or lack of it since they took office last year. This is the suggestion of Fermoy Fianna Fail town councillor, Olive Corcoran.
Describing herself as, ‘stunned’ by the lack of progress, Cllr Corcoran is calling for an independent public meeting to be held where the people of Fermoy can voice their opinion on the performance of the council.
“I wish to call on the mayor of Fermoy and my fellow councillors to agree to a public meeting with the people of Fermoy to discuss what we have done since we were elected. This meeting should be independently chaired to afford everybody an opportunity to have their say in an open and transparent manner and since we represent the people let them tell us what they think of our modus operandi,” Cllr Corcoran told The Avondhu.
Council meetings The Fermoy town councillor said that she was stunned by the lack of progress at town council meetings.
“As I ploughed through the Town Council Budget 2010, I failed to make sense of the fact that, although I was looking at millions of euro on paper, I could see so few signs of this cash in our town. I was genuinely surprised at the huge contribution from Central Government and also from the ratepayers. Where is it? I thought.
"What return does the ratepayer get from his €5,000 a year? Street lighting, garbage collections and of course, Fermoy Town Council and staff. If I had a business in Fermoy I would be so angry.
"As a public representative I know that, if I had any power, which I do not have, to eliminate the wastage, and constructively change a system, which is top-heavy with ‘cute hoors’, I would do so. Recently I heard our mayor on radio, being very frustrated with the go-slow. What go slow? I noticed no difference,” Cllr Corcoran said.
MORE POWER
Cllr Corcoran is also calling for more power to be given to the elected representatives on the council, “It seems to me that those who are ‘permanent and pensionable’ would continue to make decisions or not make them, which is more commonly the case, as we can see from all our un-implemented motions".
"Public representatives should have more power on town councils, because at least the people elect them. The taxpayers will no longer tolerate what has been happening in the country and there are a few of us who will no longer tolerate the carry on in Fermoy Town Council,” Cllr Corcoran concluded.
The Avondhu contacted the Fermoy mayor, but Cllr Noel McCarthy said that he had no comment to make at this time. However, the mayor confirmed that he would be responding to Cllr Corcoran’s comments in due course.
Published:
Thursday 15th April 6:08pm