Retired Councillor Ian McGarvey shares frustration at 'removal of authority'
Aged 92, Ian McGarvey retired from political life this week and expressed his frustration at the diminished role and influence of county councillors
Retired County Councillor Ian McGarvey has expressed frustration at the diminished input of councillors.
The 92-year-old officially stepped away from political life on Monday when he sat as a member of the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District for the final time.
The veteran politician from Ramelton retired after serving 18 years as a councillor having been first elected in the Milford area in 2004.
Since then, the Letterkenny and Milford areas have merged and the Letterkenny Town Council is no more, following its abolition in 2014.
“I always thought that restrictions as a community worker were bad enough, but it's worse as a councillor,” he reflected this week.
“I also feel as if the people we are talking to are restricted. People providing a service are restricted. There has been a removal of authority.
“It is regrettable that the Government never considers properly rural areas, especially a county like Donegal.”
Among the issues tabled at his final meeting on Monday included a motion calling for Donegal County Council to retain delivery of water and wastewater services. Irish Water is now be the sole water authority in the county and will have full control by June.
This and the possible relocation of the call centre for the NoWDOC service to a central hub were the cause of angst for the outgoing Councillor McGarvey.
He said: “The authority of members is being continuously taken away.
“Everything is done very willy nilly, people end up phoning a central call centre and don't get a return call.
“The people in Government don't take into consideration what is happening to their people. The removal of the Health Board system was another example and we're in the middle of a housing crisis, but they're selling land to buy trees.”