Boundary Committee report: Lucan to lose three councillors
By Brendan Grehan
THE LUCAN electoral area is to lose three councillors in the local electoral area boundary changes, reports Brendan Grehan.
As it stands, Lucan has eight councillors but this will be reduced by three.
Lucan Village
Current Mayor and Local Councillor, Paul Gogarty, has criticised the report and accused it of “tearing apart” Lucan.
He said: “Lucan’s cohesion as a community has been torn apart by a Government reduction in Council electoral area sizes, which allowed parts of Lucan and Palmerstown to be split in with North Clondalkin.
"Two 5-seat areas were created, although Lucan itself fits neatly into 7 seats. I’m still representing both sides of Lucan and Palmerstown.”
Independent Councillor Liona O’Toole also said that Lucan has been split in two.
She told The Echo: “Lucan has been split in two with the new boundaries just announced. Areas east of the Outer Ring Road are included with Palmerstown and parts of Clondalkin now known as Palmerstown electoral area with five seats.
“Lucan west of Outer Ring Road now known as Lucan electoral area also with only five seats. These new boundaries are a result of lobbying by the main parties to attempt to reduce the number of Independents and smaller parties.”
Fianna Fail Councillor Ed O’Brien said the boundary changes “highlight the government’s contempt for local government”.
He said: “It’s disappointing that the publication of this week’s report was not accompanied by comprehensive proposals to empower local governance.The decision of this government have done enormous damage to our system of local governance.
“It has led to an over-centralisation of power and has prevented towns like Lucan from putting forward and implementing their own plans to improve local services and attract inward investment.”
He added: “Continually altering the area does nothing for local governance and will in many instances leave areas under represented in Lucan. This community of Lucan has been split in two due to these changes and there is absolutely no justification to it.”
