Cllr Des Guckian fears for the future of Leitrim County Council
"There are a lot of people who are unhappy with the political system and the operation of Leitrim County Council"
Cllr Des Guckian expressed his delight at the vote he received which saw him comfortably elected in the Carrick-on-Shannon LEA and was in bullish form against “the three big parties and some ‘Independents’ who are not really Independents.”
“I'm delighted that I've got there,” he said, just moments after his election in the early hours of last Sunday morning.
“I'm delighted for the people that have supported me, my family and all of the supporters that voted for me. They are excellent, first class people and are the salt of the earth. I want to also congratulate all the council staff for their extremely hard work,” he said.
Cllr Guckian said he was very concerned that the vote was very small in Co Leitrim, somewhere around 50% which he said is troubling.
“What it means is there are a lot of people who are unhappy with the political system and the operation of Leitrim County Council as well. I too am very concerned about that. I think there's almost a return to Haugheyism the way the coalition of Leitrim County Council has behaved itself against me over the last 10 years and that has to change,” he demanded.
“In the election I have taken on the three big parties and their representatives and I've taken on some Independents who are not really Independents at all. The democratic process has to be resumed,” he said.
In general terms, he said Co Leitrim has got to get much more central government investment.
“One example is the situation in the national school in Scoil Mhuire in Carrick-on-Shannon. That has to be built on a new and much expanded site and I hope that will happen soon with pressure from the people of this entire area of Co Leitrim,” he said.
He issued a warning about the very existence of the council. “I see some councillors behaving as if the meetings were a circus and acting the fool and not really taking on the major issues of Co Leitrim and avoiding them and I fear that Leitrim County Council will be abolished in five years time. It will be replaced by a regional assembly ad I think that it is getting away from the grassroots, the ordinary people and their concerns. I'm very much inclined to be putting forward the concerns and needs of the local people.”
He also said that in his view there is a crisis within Leitrim County Council.
“I have about 30 people on my books, people who are genuinely looking for houses and the council cannot provide them and they say they lack funding. Well my answer to that is the council officials must demand double what they are getting at the moment so they can cater not only for immigrants but also people who are either homeless or in very bad housing conditions in Co Leitrim.
Infrastructure also has to be realistic, he said. “There a great emphasis at the moment about greenways and blueways but what in the name of God about the laneways of Co Leitrim, they should be resurfaced and none of this nonsense about local improvement schemes and people having to pay a tenth of the cost even though they are paying a lot of household charges.”