asked the Minister for Local Government if, in view of Ministerial undertakings that legislation to amend the County Management Acts would be enacted before the next local elections, he can state the present position in regard to the legislation contemplated.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Amendment of County Management Acts.
Legislation to repeal the County Management Acts is in course of preparation and I hope to have it introduced shortly. As I have already indicated in reply to previous questions, I cannot predict when the Bill will be enacted. This will of course be a matter for the Oireachtas, with whose co-operation I am hopeful that the Bill will have become law before the date of the local elections.
Is the Minister aware that, in 1948, during the progress of the Bill to postpone the local elections, his predecessor assured the House that his only reason for asking for a postponement until 1950 was to enable the legislation necessary to amend the Management Acts to be introduced, to be considered and to be passed into law? In view of that undertaking given by his predecessor, can the Minister give the Dáil any explanation as to why those two years have been allowed to pass without the introduction of Bills to amend the Management Acts?
I can only assure the Deputy that I am as keen as my predecessor to carry out the promise which he gave. The death of the Minister and my coming into office just 12 months ago intervened. I got this legacy from my predecessor and I intend, as I told the Deputy in reply to other questions, to bring this matter on the Order Paper for introduction as soon as I can. A very heavy legislative programme prevented me from getting it on up to now, but the Bill will be circulated at a very early date.
Is the Minister further aware that the principal idea behind the postponement of the local elections in the Bill to which I referred was to enable the Management Acts to be amended so that, as has been stated, a better type of candidate would be induced to stand for election, a candidate who would have some powers which are now denied to local authorities?
I suggest that if the Bill is printed and circulated and gets to the Second Stage even if it has not passed its final stages it will be enough. Once information of these powers is made available to the public the issues raised by the Deputy can be met. There will be no difficulty in electing new councils even if the Bill has not been completed before the elections take place.