28 Jul 2011
Inside City Hall Politics
Recently the latest publication by UCC academic, Dr Aodh Quinlivan. Was launched. Entitled Inside City Hall Politics it traces Cork City Council for the twelve months following the local elections of June 2009.
Dr Quinlivan said that these elections produced dramatic results nationally and locally, no more so than in Cork city where the political landscape changed significantly. With the notable exceptions of Máirín Quill and Denis Cregan, 29 of the 31 outgoing city councillors contested the elections. The election results were breathtaking as six incumbents lost their seat and three former Lord Mayors were unceremoniously dumped by the electorate. The people of Cork city elected a new-look, eclectic and colourful council made up of six political parties and a group of four Independents.
This book sheds light on the inner workings within City Hall, including issues like controversial mayoral electoral pact, and informs the people on the day-to-day operations of the Irish Local Government system. It also describes in great detail the actions of Cork City Council at the time of the flooding of the city in November 2009. In launching the book, the Lord Mayor praised Dr Quinlivan, describing him as Ireland’s leading academic in the area of local government. Dr Quinlivan is a lecturer in UCC’s Department of Government and he has published four local government books in the past five years.
It is available in Cork bookshops.