Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY’s decision not to participate in a televised debate during the Seanad abolition referendum campaign has been criticised by No campaigners today.
In the wake of the likely defeat of the referendum, the No campaigners have taken aim at Kenny’s decision to decline invitations to debate abolition on RTÉ and TV3.
Sinn Féin, who wanted a Yes vote, also said that Kenny’s decision not to debate was “a mistake”
Some government TDs continued to make the point today that no Taoiseach has ever done a televised debate for a referendum of this nature.
But Democracy Matters campaigner Michael McDowell pinpointed Kenny’s declaration that Seanad abolition was his “personal initiative” and said he should have debated it.
McDowell told the media at Dublin Castle this afternoon: “The real question is that when he brought it to the people why did it cease to be a personal leadership initiative? Why didn’t he lead when the Yes side required him to lead? That’s a matter for him to consider.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said that Kenny’s decision to decline two TV debates on RTÉ and TV3 did not go down well with people “on the doorstep”.
He said: “Well I think his decision not to debate went down very badly with people.
“Anecdotally, on the doorstep, meeting people around, people were not happy with the idea that the leader of the country who puts forward a very significant amendment to the Constitution… is not prepared to debate it.”
He said that sent “a very bad message”.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
The last thing you should do is listen to ordinary people’s opinions on complex technical topics. Look at Brexit.
Listen to what the technical experts are saying, and they are all to a man saying that Cork city needs to be extended to give it a critical mass which is important for many reasons.
@Fred Jensen: at the cost of the county though. Even the financial rebate being proposed is only for 5 years before review and doesn’t factor in lost revenue to the county council from developments they have already partially paid for.
There is also a concern the the financial model maybe unachievable in the short term for the city council
Majority of ordinary people in the county are dead set against the city council taking over. Increase in rates…no or little investment in these new areas…theyll become back waters.
@Tony Skillington: the extended City Council should have more money to spend as it wouldn’t have to subsidise the rest of the county council. The council of course might struggle
@Tony Skillington: so who is responsible for that traffic jam they call Douglas??
@Michael Collins: that’s in the county at present. So the county
@Tony Skillington: are they? Must people living in Douglas probably aren’t even aware that they are in fact living in the county. The county would have a stronger case if they hadn’t been pushing people out to far flung places to live. Cork is relatively small yet they seem to think living in Mallow and commuting would be better than living near the city.
May as well extend it to Midleton, Mallow, Macroom and Bandon seeing as ye are on such a roll lads.
So is Limerick city now bigger than Cork City ??as they have extended their boundary, and encompassed a far greater population than Cork city..
@Gary Heslin: limerick city doesn’t exist. It is now part of the county limerick. But the old boundary had a greater land area than Cork city has presently with half the population.
@prop joe: Incorrect. Limerick City still exists. It may be a unity authority with the county but it still has a border, as such. Population including suburbs 95k.
Why has Cork City got its own council ?
@sportsmad: like must urban areas it is governed locally. The counties we have presently where drawn up by the British 400 hundred years ago and don’t really make sense anymore. We should look at all county boundaries.
@prop joe: I’d like to see West Limerick and North Kerry join as one county!
@Colm O’Sullivan: I would like to see from west clare to the cork border, from north tipp to the cork border and east waterford to the cork border all come under the cork banner.
It has a bigger population than half of the counties in Ireland as it is, if the proposed expansion is approved, only 2 counties in the Republic will have a bigger population.
have your say