Record number of SF councillors attend AMAI conference

• Some of the Sinn Féin Councillors who attended last week's 91st Annual Conference of the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland in Listowel. Included are: Seán Conlon, (Monaghan); Jackie Crowe, (Castleblaney); Séamus Morris, (Nenagh); John Dwyer, (Wexford); Paul Hogan, (Athlone); Robbie Sargent, (Dublin); Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin, (Clonakilty); Brian Stanley, (Portlaoise); Tony Smithers, (Dublin); Joe Reilly, (Navan); Maurice Roche, (Wexford); Nicky Kehoe, (Dublin); Christy Burke, (Dublin); and Jimmy McDonnell, (Longford).

A sign of the growth in Sinn Féin elected representatives in the 26 Counties in June's local elections was evident at the 91st Annual Conference of the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland (AMAI) held in Listowel last weekend, when a record number of the party's councillors were in attendance.

The three-day conference discussed and debated issues of importance to urban local government and local communities. Topics included the Role for Councillors in Waste Management, Councillors' Roles in Local Finance, The Garda Síochána Bill 2004 and Municipal Policy Committees. The election of the incoming National Executive was also held, and resulted in Sinn Féin's Joe Reilly (Navan), Michael McMahon (Bundoran) and Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin (Clonakilty) being elected for the coming 12 months.

One of the highlights of the conference was the section on the Garda Bill 2004, which proposes local Joint Committees made up of County Councillors and Garda Representatives to discuss policing issues in their areas. Amazingly, Michael McDowell believes that Town Councillors should have no role in these committees, something the AMAI is vigorously fighting to have amended.