Anger to replace apathy at the ballot box?

Once every five years, the citizens of this country get the chance to elect candidates to represent them on county councils and town councils around the country. This year, perhaps, more than most, an exercised and animated electorate may well turn out in greater numbers than usual to cast their ballot. This, at the very least, is a good thing as an exercise in democracy. The reason for a predicted higher voter turnout this year is anger and the subject of the electorate"s ire is likely to be those candidates standing for the Government parties, particularly Fianna Fail, in what is effectively being seen as a national referendum on the Government"s recent performance. A mid-term election is likely to be tricky for any Government but the 5th June poll is expected to be a disaster for FF if even the most authoritative commentators are to be believed. Opinions differ as to the reception being received on the doorsteps with stories of Fianna Fail candidates being 'run" from front doors to others saying they are receiving a fair hearing. The common concensus is that there is more of the former then the latter. But whatever the outcome of this Friday"s poll, there is at least a proper engagement between the politicians and the people this time around, a factor that has been lacking in previous local elections. Regardless of what way people decide to vote, the councillors we elect this Friday will be those who will make important decisions about a whole raft of issues pertinent to the future of County Meath for the next five years. While it may not have the excitement of a general election, local government - county and town councils - remains hugely relevant to local people and communities. The decisions councils take will have a direct bearing on the lives of many thousands of people in Meath during the period of the next council. Therefore, the calibre of the candidates chosen needs to be carefully considered by all voters. Satirical television shows going back to the days of 'Hall"s Pictorial Weekly" have, over a long period of time, portrayed the local councillor as a bit of a 'village idiot", speaking with a broad rural accent and sporting a badly fitting hairpiece. In truth, councillors have been parodied somewhat unfairly by the media over the years but, increasingly, the lure of local politics has drawn in a more youthful, intelligent and articulate cadre of candidates who believe in the workings of the local government system and want to change it to make it better. The political system, even at council level, needs to benefit from the substantial pool of ideas, energy and talent that is out there. Voting should no longer solely be about carrying on the family tradition of voting FF, FG, Labour and so on, just because generations of the family have always done so. These local elections should be about electing the best candidates to represent the differing and disparate views and needs of local communities around the county so as to ensure everyone"s voices are heard. The present economic malaise we now find ourselves in means that we need, more than ever, quality people representing us at all levels, from town councils to the Houses of the Oireachtas. We need bold ideas, radical thinking, new policies and an abandonment of meaningless platitudes in favour of tackling the issues of real concern to the electorate - proper development and planning that will not allow huge residential areas to mushroom without basic infrastructure being put in place first, targeted investment in rural roads that will prevent them falling into the shambolic states of disrepair they are currently in, ensuring public services are retained in the various centres to which they have been decentralised, and so on. Our newly elected councillors will need the competence and skills required to deal with a multiplicity of challenges they will face in the years ahead. Everyone with a vote should take the time to study what the various candidates in their own areas stand for and the promises they are making and base their voting intentions on who they believe will be capable of delivering. The unfortunate reality in this country, though, is that those we elect to our local authorities have little in the way of real power beyond decisions on road spending, zoning and development issues. The real power remains vested in the executive officers of each council, unlike in most areas of western Europe where public representatives are themselves responsible for the provision of a vast range of services, such as schools, public transport and health. Now that truly would be democracy in action.