Council row over selection process for committee positions 

A motion calling on Cork County Council to seek a study on “fairer ways” to select chairpersons/ committee positions led to a heated debate at this week’s meeting of the authority.

First-time West Cork councillor Isobel Towse, of the Social Democrats, proposed the motion seeking the study to find new ways to fill the positions which would be focused on the suitability of the candidates for the specific role rather than the outcome of the current system to select candidates.

At present, the different parties form groupings to select members, leading to what can be a protracted process to select the chairpersons and members of different committees and council representatives on external boards and public bodies.

At Monday’s meeting, for instance, four members of the council for each of the Local Community Development Committees for North Cork, South Cork, and East Cork were selected, along with 13 members on the international and European affairs committee, one member on the board of Cobh Heritage Trust, one member from each municipal district on the county library and the historic monuments advisory committees and 11 members on the commemorations committee.

In her address to propose the motion, Ms Towse said that the grouping system meant the “most suitable councillor to a role may not stand a chance”.

She added: “But we need the right people in the right positions. 

"In my view, positions should be given to councillors primarily based on merit and suitability.

“Other factors such as gender balance should be considered too, which is actually provided for in the Local Government Act, but I am not aware of whether this chamber has factored that in to date or not.”

The use of the word ‘suitability’ prompted a swift reaction from councillors, with a large number of speakers arguing that, by virtue of their election alone, there should be no consideration of their ‘suitability’ because they were representing the voters.

Ben Dalton O’Sullivan, an Independent councillor in Carrigaline, said he took “grave exception” and “offence” to the use of the word ‘suitability’ in the motion.

He said: “The Local Government Act is very clear as to who cannot be a member of local government. Whether you’re a member of the Dáil, Seanad, or have a [criminal] conviction, it’s very clear as to who can or cannot sit in local government. The only people who tell us if we can sit in this chamber are the people we represent.”

A number of female councillors objected to the reference to gender balance in the motion.

Mary Linehan Foley, the Independent councillor representing East Cork, said: “This is the start of my third term so I remember coming in here as an Independent and a member of no party and working with every party that’s inside here because that’s what we do and I think it’s worth mentioning that ‘gender balancing’ freaks me every time I hear that word because I think that you should be looked at for a committee or anything else or be elected as the person that is capable for the job, no matter if a woman or a man or whatever I am.”

After a lengthy debate, the motion was put to a vote and defeated by 35 votes to eight.