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Return of town councils in Kerry back on the cards if FF Bill is passed

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Killarney Town Hall.

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A NEW Bill would give power back to local communities, according to Kerry Fianna Fáil TD John Brassil. Deputy Brassil said the return of Killarney and Tralee Town Councils, and potentially Listowel, will be on the cards if the Dáil votes to support a new Bill from his party that is currently before the Dáil.

Deputy Brassil made the prediction as Fianna Fáil put forward The Local Government (Establishment of Town Councils Commission) Bill 2017 which aims to re-establish town councils in every county across Ireland.

The Dáil is set to debate a Fianna Fáil Bill which aims to re-establish town councils in every county across Ireland.

“Back in 2014, the last Fine Gael and Labour government made the short sighted and destructive decision to abolish all 80 town councils in the country, including councils in Tralee, Killarney and Listowel,” said Deputy Brassil.

“Our Bill will create a Commission under the Local Government Act to review the geographical distribution of proposed town councils. This Commission will also examine their powers and how they are financed. The purpose of this is to provide a sound, fair basis to further legislative for the re-establishment of town councils.

“The fundamental purpose of the Bill is to empower local communities by enabling towns across Ireland to have a strong voice to fight their corner.

“Fine Gael took a slash and burn approach to local democracy. Abolishing town councils has left many urban areas without a voice. It resulted in paltry savings and instead robbed people of local representation and deprived towns of having a council dedicated solely to fighting their corner. Its replacement, the Municipal District system, has clearly left towns at a disadvantage.

“Even the Labour Party, which was part of the Government that dissolved town councils, has now recognised what a mistake it was to abolish them. This Bill will ensure a new system is set up to give power back to those communities.

"Instead of simply re-storing the old system which had a number of flaws it aims to establish a fair mechanism and clear powers for a new town council structure.

“Centralising power in Dublin is not the best way to run the country. The Local Government reforms of 2014 left Ireland with the weakest system of local Government in Europe. We need local solutions to local problems. A new town council system, with real powers and resources, will help us achieve that.

“I hope to engage with the new Minister for Local Government John Paul Phelan to make sure the Government lives up to its commitments by taking real action to give power back to local communities. The Bill sets out a strict timeframe that will have the new structures up and running by the next local elections which are due to be held in May 2019.

The Kerry D added: "I am calling on the Government and all other parties to support this important piece of legislation so that local communities can be empowered in the decision making process.”

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Milltown plan to preserve history in community project 

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The Milltown History and Heritage Society has announced plans for an oral history archive for the community.

It is hoped that the collection and preservation of stories and folklore will be a valuable resource for future generations.

Oral history expert and historian Dr Tomás Mac Conmara will speak in Milltown in support of the launch.

Dr Mac Conmara, who is an award-winning oral historian, lecturer and author, will speak at the Muintir na Tíre Hall in Milltown at 8pm on Friday, October 24 and will introduce the fundamentals for the collection of oral history.

The presentation is free of charge and is supported by funding from the Creative Communities Grant Scheme 2025.

Attendees will be introduced to the practical skills required in interviewing, recording and documenting local heritage.

Stewart Stephans of the Milltown History and Heritage Society said they are excited to have Tomás to set them on the right path towards the development of the archive.

He said: “The collection and retention of oral history needs to be approached properly, drawing on the right advice and maintaining high standards, so we are pleased to be getting the input of such a renowned expert.” The event is open to anyone who would like to attend.

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Network Ireland Kerry discuss sustainable success

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Network Ireland Kerry held their third annual collaboration event last Wednesday at the Rose Hotel, Tralee. The theme was: “The Journey to Sustainable Success” which brought three industry experts together to talk about their own journey to sustainable successful.

Business professionals, entrepreneurs, and financial leaders came together for this highly anticipated event to learn about the journey from becoming a start-up, to a small-to-medium enterprise (SME), and a large SME.

The event was opened by AIB Branch Liaison for Network Ireland Kerry and AIB Castleisland Branch Manager, Colleen Shannon. It was MC’d by AIB Tralee Branch Manager, Stephen Stack.

Sarah Farrar of AINMHÌ, Garrett Dillon of Mr. Binman and Dillon Waste Ltd. and Susan Quirke-Crowley of Mounthawk Montessori School Group were among the speakers at the event.

These leaders spoke about their challenges, milestones, and breakthroughs they encountered, from launching an idea to scaling operations nationally.

Tara Elzingre of Tara Elzingre Consultancy, Zaneta Labuz-Czerwein of Rustic Boowa and Sharon Hartnett of U Coaching promoted their businesses for ‘Minute on the Mic’

Emily Reen, Network Ireland Kerry President, described the event as a testament to the power of partnership. She said: “The event underscored a powerful message: sustainable business success is not a solo journey. With the right partnerships, teams and financial tools, businesses of all sizes can grow with purpose, resilience, and long-term impact.”

Network Ireland Kerry will host their next monthly event on November 12 in Killarney and in collaboration with the Kerry Local Enterprise Office, titled: “Gain Competitive Advantage in Your Business”. This event will be MC’d by Karen Ronan, 2025 National Vice President of Network Ireland and CEO of Galway Chamber. This event is open to non-members and members, and everyone is welcome from 6 pm for networking and refreshments, with the event taking place from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm.

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