French Local Government Reform

donnbradman

Since its decentralisation has it been a success? Did it change things for the better and do the citizens feel more involved? Just doing a bit of research on local government and I found the french case quite interesting

sarkozy

Is it essay time already?

donnbradman

sarkozy wrote: »

Is it essay time already?

No whatsoever, with Ireland's plans for reforming the local government aren't we better off looking at a country who have set a good example than going alone and taking chances

AlekSmart

donnbradman wrote: »

No whatsoever, with Ireland's plans for reforming the local government aren't we better off looking at a country who have set a good example than going alone and taking chances

Yes Donbradman,we would be immeasurably better-off following this rationale,however,it is not how "we" do things here....

Some years back the Government and it's chosen partners in the LUAS construction project brought over Senor. Manuel Melis the man who oversaw the construction of the Madrid Metro expansion programme.

His advice was sought on how our project should progress and he duly delivered some insightful and decidedly simple Spanish wisdom....Agree on a simple plan before commencing ANY work. Once that plan is agreed,commence work on a 24/7/365 basis until complete.....OK ?

However,with LUAS,and many other such projects,we have taken a decision to do the diametric opposite to the bould Senor Melis...It's what makes us "Special" I guess ?

sarkozy

donnbradman wrote: »

No whatsoever, with Ireland's plans for reforming the local government aren't we better off looking at a country who have set a good example than going alone and taking chances

Well, in that case ...

I'm not convinced the French model is what we should be going for. I conducted some research into local government reform in a former worklife.

It's my understanding that the French system, while giving significant local decision-making power to small areas (communes), the system was designed to strengthen central power across its territory.

The problem with Irish local government lies also with the entire national governance system. In short, it's dysfunctional and has, historically since the foundation of the state, become more and more centralised.

For example, we all know how weird it is that people go to TDs to 'fix potholes' when their actual job is to represent their constituencies in addressing and legislate on national-level issues. Councillors' actual jobs are actually represent their local authority citizenry and actually 'fix potholes'. But they don't have the money do do that because central government controls most of it. Then, when local authorities and councillors fail in their responsibilities, having never got the resources or being held to account like they should, they have those responsibilities taken away from them and handed back to central government of sold off to semi-states and private companies through PPPs, like Irish Water.

In another worklife, I spent some time looking at post-colonial legacies in Africa as it relates to strengthening democracy, accountability and socioeconomic development. As in many African countries I looked at, true democratic accountability has never been allowed to flourish in Ireland for similar reasons - in particular, the fiscal and social contracts have never been allowed to mature.

Much better models of local governance, and national governance, exist in the nordic countries. There is there, in my opinion, a much better balancing of national, regional and local responsibilities, and between urban and rural areas.

Just my two cents.

Black Swan

sarkozy wrote: »

Is it essay time already?

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donnbradman

sarkozy wrote: »

Well, in that case ...

I'm not convinced the French model is what we should be going for. I conducted some research into local government reform in a former worklife.

It's my understanding that the French system, while giving significant local decision-making power to small areas (communes), the system was designed to strengthen central power across its territory.

The problem with Irish local government lies also with the entire national governance system. In short, it's dysfunctional and has, historically since the foundation of the state, become more and more centralised.

For example, we all know how weird it is that people go to TDs to 'fix potholes' when their actual job is to represent their constituencies in addressing and legislate on national-level issues. Councillors' actual jobs are actually represent their local authority citizenry and actually 'fix potholes'. But they don't have the money do do that because central government controls most of it. Then, when local authorities and councillors fail in their responsibilities, having never got the resources or being held to account like they should, they have those responsibilities taken away from them and handed back to central government of sold off to semi-states and private companies through PPPs, like Irish Water.

In another worklife, I spent some time looking at post-colonial legacies in Africa as it relates to strengthening democracy, accountability and socioeconomic development. As in many African countries I looked at, true democratic accountability has never been allowed to flourish in Ireland for similar reasons - in particular, the fiscal and social contracts have never been allowed to mature.

Much better models of local governance, and national governance, exist in the nordic countries. There is there, in my opinion, a much better balancing of national, regional and local responsibilities, and between urban and rural areas.

Just my two cents.

From further research I have to admit the French system does seen a load of bollocks. To be honest we can't even afford reform and altogether the real place for reform is at the tip top table.

sarkozy

Reform requires a phased, systemic approach at multiple levels. It may be that the political capital needs to be invested at central level, but, historically, it doesn't have do, it just often has. All the experts I've read are agreed that reform should be bottom-up, starting with how local communities can best be served and represented and giving them the responsibility (and money) to do so.

Our system is, in part, a colonial hangover (the English shire system and the 19th century local government act) overlaid with a post-independence concern for national cohesion and embedding of the new state, which required, on one hand, a centralised state and, on the other (with the civil war fracture still felt) a system of machine party politics.

This may have worked for a time due to Ireland's low levels of economic development and social complexity, but we all know the dysfunction in our state that's arisen from our state formation and rapid socio-economic transformation.

And my point is this: while I understand implementing real reform would be expensive and that we may not be able to afford it now, we should never let a good crisis go to waste. The harsh reality is, if effectively designed and implemented, a more effective local government system (as part of a plan to reconfigure governance at all levels) would actually save money in the long-term.

What we've typically ended up with are 'Irish solutions to Irish problems' - that's our fatalistic maxim - but it absolutely does not have to be the case if we decide as a country to create real democracy in Ireland.