Ireland - DEBATE, VOTE, SILENCE: WHY DO SO MANY COUNCIL MOTIONS DISAPPEAR?

Pointless?

Not all motions, it seems, are meant to go anywhere really. For councillors who note their lack of powers, some of the motions that are discussed show a curious disregard for where the local authority’s scope ends.

In autumn 2014, Dublin councillors voted to call on the government to repeal existing legislation and make it an offence to add fluoride to water, even though they don’t have powers in that area. From the sidelines, debates like this can look like a waste of council time and resources.

“I think that’s a fair point,” said Chris Andrews of Sinn Fein, who was one of the councillors to put forward the fluoride motion. But sometimes, he says, it’s about making a point. “It’s highlighting it, advocating it, showing solidarity with a particular point of view,” he said.

With so little time, though, and a city facing significant challenges, some councillors argue that spending time on motions that are out of the council’s powers is a bit of a joke.