"Why Can't We Have Nice Things?": Councillor Criticises Kildare Funding As Event Proposals Dismissed

Tuesday, 30 June 2026 12:19

By Daniel Maher

KCC have said that funding is not adequate and other local authorities are funded better than Kildare.

A local councillor has said that she received a negative response from Kildare County Council when proposing events for people to come together in Kildare.

KCC have said that funding is not adequate and other local authorities are funded better than Kildare.

A motion had asked for a number of proposals such as providing temporary spaces for pedestrians and family-friendly activities, as well as a grants scheme for local community groups to deliver summer events.

A request was also made for a full report evaluating sites with permanent recommendations made if successful.

Speaking on Kildare Today, Social Democrats Councillor for Celbridge-Leixlip MD Nuala Killeen said "it didn't go down well".

"It didn't go down well, they were sensitive about it, they gave out to me for even bringing it up because it wouldn't be implementable until next year."

Cllr Killeen then proposed for the idea to be implemented next year, but said that KCC were "pretty sore" about the fact that other local authorities are funded better than Kildare.

"The Government have never appropriately funded KCC, they've taken a lot of staffing and funding away, the whole thing is a nightmare."

"I thought this was a small achievable project", adding that the Government need to "Government get it together and fund Kildare appropriately", and until then, "we're always going to be a beggar class compared to other counties who have nice things, why can't we have nice things?"

She also expressed the need for local events to bring communities together:

"I think that there is an appetite for communities to come together and congregate, coming out of a post-COVID environment it took awhile for things to build up."

The full interview can be heard below: