Tony O'Donnell.ie

Last night I was elected to chair the Rural Development Sub-committee of the new LEADER company for County Kildare.

The committee will oversee the delivery of approximately €11 million over the next few years, with a focus on supporting new farm businesses, rural development, new business start-ups, community initiatives, renewal of towns and villages and a wide variety of other potential projects.

If you are involved in a project that you think might benefit from assistance under the Rural Development Programme, please get in touch.

Warren G. Harding is widely acknowledged as one of America’s worst Presidents – which is quite an achievement for a term that lasted barely two and a half years. During his political career, which spanned state and federal office over a 25 year period, he left virtually no legacy of achievement. He is a classic example of someone who rose without a trace.

Harding is the perfect example of a politician pushed from the backrooms on the basis of electability rather than ability.

His good looks and commanding voice brought him to the attention of Ohio Republicans, and they pushed him from the obscurity of a smalltown newspaper publisher to the state senate.

Apparently his potential was observed by a local party grandee who spotted him at a barbershop and thought “I can get this guy elected”. He also had the benefit of an ambitious wife.

Harding rose through the state senate to become Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, and then one of the state’s two US Senators.

While his electoral record was sound, he never really wielded his mandate to enact policy or to make an impact on the affairs of the nation. Even his elevation to the Republican nomination and the presidency was on the basis of his physical attributes and blandness; his lack of enemies (through lack of achievement) broke the deadlock between the competing power blocs within the party.

We’ve had a few Hardings in this country too. The Irish system, and the lack of political vision generally, means that parties are often driven to select candidates on the basis of getting into office rather than any notion of what to do when in there. The electorate are often presented with candidates who have a profile or a winning smile, but no political vision or manifesto for their personal contribution to national affairs.

After the George Lee affair, perhaps everyone with an interest in the country’s wellbeing (from the party machines to the humble voter), needs to review what they want from their TDs. The system cannot afford a Dáil chamber filled with handshaking, funeral-attending serial vote-getters, or even 166 social workers on CEO salaries.

We need a renewed political class, and we need to probe all candidates on what they see as their role in the Dáil and the contribution they plan to make.

Motion 1
That KCC provide a report on development levies in the county where the amounts are more than 12 months overdue.

Motion 2
That KCC provide a report on housing estates in the County that have not been taken in charge, and where the developer has ceased trading or gone into receivership, examinership or liquidation.

There are few things worse than wasted potential. George Lee as an individual and as a symbol had a tremendous potential to shift our expectations of politics, and to open the door for a new type of TD.

He was more than just a celebrity candidate.

He was trusted by the ordinary citizen, as his thumping 27,000 vote bye-election victory proved. He had the academic and professional training needed to understand the complex economic issues that we collectively face. And perhaps most importantly, he repeatedly made the point that as an ordinary citizen he felt compelled to run because he wanted to change things.

As a newly elected representative, this final point really resonated with me.

I felt thrilled that someone as apparently capable as George Lee had made the decision to enter politics and to give his talents to serve the public. It made me feel that the process could still attract people of genuine vision and talent, and I hoped that his entry might encourage more people to follow suit.

Our current semi-hereditary system of parish pump cute-hoorism isn’t working, and George was opening the door to a new type of politics.

Unfortunately George has called it a day after only 19 weeks of Dáil business. After coming in with so much promise, his decision to walk away could deal a fatal blow to the renewal of politics. How many talented people in business, or the community sector will look on this debacle and say, ‘Well if even George Lee couldn’t change things, what chance have I got?’

I do not doubt his sincerity, but the fact that he couldn’t stick things out and work for reform from inside really disappoints me. He came in on a fanfare of repairing the system – he leaves having only scratched the surface and with no constructive or positive legacy whatsoever.

A former British Prime Minister once said, the problem with committing political suicide is that you survive to tell the tale. I think George’s hara-kiri will prove to be an enormous regret into his future, whatever it might hold.

Kildare patients may see a drop in prescription drug prices from this week, according to local Fine Gael councillor Tony O’Donnell.

Thanks to an initiative from the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA), many medicines will see a drop of up to 40% from 1st February 2010. A full list of the medicines concerned can be found online at www.checkthelist.ie, and it contains many common treatments including Augmentin, Difene, Losec and Prozac.

Local pharmacists are expected to introduce the reduced pricing as they replenish their stocks.

“I think this is a very welcome move from the IPHA and the pharmaceutical industry they represent.

“Irish medicine prices are very expensive by European standards, and they represent a huge burden on chronic sufferers. The drugs covered by today’s announcement include many common treatments for conditions such as high cholesterol, depression and ulcers, so the news will be welcomed by many Kildare families.

“It is especially welcome in light of the cuts in the Drug Payment Scheme introduced in the last two budgets.

“The news also means a better deal for the taxpayer as the cost of drugs provided under the medical card will also be reduced.

“I hope that the pharmaceutical companies continue to cut their prices into the future so that other chronic conditions get the same reduction in costs.

“Patients can learn more about the scheme by clicking on a special IPHA site – www.checkthelist.ie”

After all of the recent controversy and discussion in the local media on conference expenses, I thought it might be worthwhile to give a breakdown of how councillors are paid and the expenses that are available to us.

Members of City and County Councils are paid an annual representational allowance set at a quarter of the salary of a member of Seanad Éireann (approx. €16,000 since the last budget). In addition, members who chair one of the Council’s five Special Policy Committees receive an additional payment of €6,000 per annum.

Members of Kildare County Council get a monthly expenses payment to cover mileage, subsistence, phone, stationery, IT and general expenses. The monthly payment is based on a number of calculations such as the round-trip distance from home to the Council chamber. The only vouched part of the expenses is a requirement to furnish mobile bills on a regular basis (members can claim up to 50% of the cost up to a limit of €600 per annum). In order to claim expenses, members must attend 80% of their statutory meetings. Attendance is based on signing a register at the meeting, however no note is taken of whether the member remains for the meeting itself.

The final sources of payment are expenses claimed for attendance at conferences. This is set at a limit of €2,500 per member for 2010, and the selection of relevant conferences is agreed by the group leaders of the parties\independents. Members must now publish detailed reports and these will be now be published on KCC’s website along with the member’s expenses claim.