Breen criticises executive support

ENNIS West County Councillors aren’t getting the support and assistance that they need from the council’s executive, according to Councillor James Breen.

At this month’s area meeting, the Kilnamona man said that since he was elected last summer he has been struck by how the level of service has declined, compared to the years he spent on the council before winning a seat in the Dáil.
At the meeting, Councillor Breen said he had an issue with a manhole cover on the Lahinch Road, something he had been looking to have dealt with for months. “I’ve been on about it since August and since I’ve come in, I must express my sincere disappointment with the service we’ve been getting.”
He said that councillors were being told things would be done but the work was frequently not being carried out. “We’re just being told that things will be done and then they’re not being done and it’s not good enough.”
He said that in the previous 19 years he spent on the council the service received had been “fairly good” but that it had been far poorer since his return last year.
Councillor Tom McNamara also said that he had similar issues to Councillor Breen but he acknowledged that circumstances have been difficult recently.
Town engineer Eamon O’Dea said that the council only has a limited number of staff and has been doing its best to respond to extreme conditions over the last few months. “How can we get other work done?” he asked.
Mr O’Dea said that in the current circumstances there is only so much that is achievable. “We endeavour to do what we can having fixed resources. If you can get us more resources we can do more, quicker.”
He also said that that the executive are not forgetting about commitments to tackle issues and that matters would be dealt with in due course.