COUNCILLOR IN BID TO SCRAP 'ROYAL' ROBES

DUBLIN Corporation will start a move tomorrow night to replace the "royal" robes worn on civic occasisons by the city's 52 councillors

The council will be asked to investigate bringing in "more appropriate clothes for a modern democratic and inclusive city".

But Lord Mayor Alderman Maurice Ahern said yesterday that he will be opposing any move to drop the ceremonial clothes.

Cllr Finian McGrath, who is pressing for change, said many councillors were already refusing to wear what he described as the "royal" robes.

However, the Lord Mayor, who is the older brother of the Taoiseach, said the robes had no connection with royalty.

The current robes only date back to a 1951 re-design. They are Dublin blue and St Patrick's green.

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