The Mayor of Clare says the town council model should return for areas with large populations.
It follows calls from a Fianna Fail Senator for their return, with local Government powers in Ireland behind those of other European countries.
Local Government reform led to the abolition of 80 town councils back in 2014, including four in this county – Ennis, Kilkee, Kilrush and Shannon.
This in turn reduced the number of Councillors nationally by over 40 percent.
Fianna Fail Senator Malcolm Byrne’s publicly made the call this week for the model to return, saying a move away from the current system is needed.
The suggestion has been met with agreement in some quarters in Clare, including by the county’s first citizen.
Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council and Killaloe-based Fianna Fail Councillor Tony O’ Brien believes that while not all town councils should return, they would be useful in areas of high population.
However, a former Shannon Town Councillor and current elected representative believes Clare has never been better represented at a national level.
The county currently has four TDs and three Senators, though will not be one of the constituencies to be given an extra seat at the next General Election on account of a growing population illustrated by the latest Census.
Shannon-based Independent Councillor Gerry Flynn says legislation passed in 2014 has actually increased powers given to those elected to local authorities.
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