My letter to the Irish Times.

Hogan's abolition plans could be scuppered under the constitution

Phil Hogan's plans to abolish Town Councils could be derailed by the 20th amendment to the Constitution, which put local government on a constitutional footing in 2001.

That's according to Labour's Cllr Keith Martin who says that a legal challenge is a distinct possibility as town councillors across the country network to discuss moves to avert the proposed abolition of their councils.

"We are looking at all angles of both political pressure and legal action in relation to fighting the abolition of town councils.  A legal challenge based on the constitutionality of the proposal to abolition an entire layer of local government is one of the measures being discussed."

The 20th amendment enshrines local government into the constitution and ensures that the state recognises role of local government in providing a forum for the democratic representation of local communities, in exercising and performing at local level powers and functions conferred by law and in promoting by its initiatives the interests of such communities.

"We believe that this amendment created an expectation, beyond reasonable doubt, that Irish citizens would, under the constitution, have a vote every 5 years to elect members to their town councils to perform the range of functions also enshrined in the constitution.  This would mean that it would be impossible for Phil Hogan to abolish town councils without the support of a referendum."

Cllr Martin says he will be attending a Labour Party policy meeting in Galway on Monday where he will raise the issue with his party.  This follows on from a similar meeting in Munster where the regions councillors called on the party to reverse the abolitions.

Facebook post tonight

Cllr Keith Martin

If angry tweets and Facebook posts solved anything there would be peace in Israel and Palestine tonight. 

If only all that self righteousness on both sides could be harnessed for good. 

There will be no victory for either side, there is no black and white, no goodies and baddies, just grey dust, tears, bloodshed and death. 

None of your rants are doing anything to change that. 

Who fired the most rockets and who killed the most people are tragedies, not statistics to use to justify further tragedies.

Israel and Palestine need a peace process and none of the "debate" I have seen here on Facebook is of any help at all. 

Recriminations will get you nowhere and will win nothing. 

We must be a friend to both nations, an honest broker and share our experiences with them and help lead them to the peace that we have eventually found here on our little island. 

Maybe then both peoples will find out, like we have, that there is more to unite us than divide us, that hate leads to hate and that we share more in common with each other than we realise. 

As John F Kennedy once said "For in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's futures. And we are all mortal." 

-----Keith Martin

YES ON SATURDAY

Labour's Cllr Keith Martin is calling on Mayo voters to turn out in record numbers and to VOTE YES on Saturday.

Cllr Keith Martin says "This referendum is a chance to insert the rights of children into the Constitution, and to provide for their safety and welfare. I would like to see a record turnout on Saturday to create a better Ireland for our children.

"There is too much wilfully misleading comment flying about on this issue. It is important to restate exactly what this referendum is about.

"First, it provides an explicit guarantee by the State to protect the rights of children.

"This amendment will ensure that the horrors inflicted on Irish Children in the past can never happen again. 17 reports in the last 30 years have all documented child protection failings. Many called for a change to the constitution as the basis of any meaningful reform in child protection. This change to our Constitution is necessary if we are to ensure that all children in Ireland are sufficiently protected by law.

"Secondly, it allows for adoption where it's in the best interests of the children, regardless of whether the parents are married or not.

"It will allow the almost 2000 children trapped in long term state care to be adopted and given a second chance at having a loving stable family.

"This amendment will allow for adoption in cases involving a child of married parents, only if the child has been in long-term state care and cannot successfully return to their birth family. Currently up to 2000 children in Ireland cannot be adopted because of the constitution.

"And finally it provides that the best interests and views of the child have to be taken into account when the court is making decisions in particular cases, such as separation proceedings.

"These are the issues people will be voting on this Saturday. A clear-minded and fair analysis calls for a resounding Yes vote. I urge people who are still undecided to sit down for just five minutes and have a look at the impartial information booklet that has been sent to every home by the Independent Referendum Commission.

"A record turn out and a YES vote will send out a clear message that we in Mayo are taking Children's rights seriously."

Keith Martin

086 0691182

 

VOTE YES

Cllr Keith Martin is urging a YES vote in the upcoming Children's Referendum.

 

According to Cllr Martin "A Children's referendum was a key commitment in Labour's Manifesto, and when we go to the polls on Saturday November 10, we will have the opportunity to state clearly and unequivocally that the Irish people value children and childhood, that children have a right to be cared for and protected, and that they should not be silenced or side-lined."

 

It will mean that Children will be recognised in their own right

It will provide an express statement of rights for all children in our constitution

It will make all children equal in the eyes of the law

It will give children a say on their future care

It will require Courts to listen to the child's view and to consider their best interests

 

Vote YES

Chruch Gate Thanks

The Westport Branch of the Labour Party would like to thank all those who gave so generously at their Church gate collection last weekend.

Branch Chairman Cllr Keith Martin says "We are very grateful to the parishioners of St.Mary's and Holy Trinity Churches for their generosity and support.

"All funds raised at the church gate collection are kept by the Westport Branch and are spent in Westport on election campaigns and party activities.

"We appreciate that these are difficult times and gratefully appreciate the generosity and goodwill we received."