asked the Minister for the Environment whether he intends revising the boundaries of the local election areas within Dublin city and Dublin County Council prior to the next local elections which are due in 1984; and whether he will transfer such powers and duties to the Dáil Electoral Boundaries Commission.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Election Area Boundaries
27.
In relation to the first part of the Deputy's question. I have no proposals for revising the local electoral areas in Dublin county or county borough. The second part of the question does not, therefore, arise.
Is the Minister saying that, even if the electoral areas appear to be out of line following the publication of the next census, there will not be any revision before the next local elections?
I am not saying that at all. There are no proposals before me at present to revise them. I am not saying that they will not be revised. As the Deputy knows, they were revised last year.
Yes, but would the proposals not emanate from the Minister?
I have not even examined the matter at present but I would expect the proposals to come from the local authority, although I would be the Minister responsible.
The Minister said that he has not proposed it himself.
With reference to the recent material, which the Minister no doubt has, is the Minister in a position to indicate the progress of local government reform in relation to such boundaries and whether his Department, as distinct from any local authority, have any proposals to revise the system and consequently the boundaries for local authority elections?
I have no proposals at present. The electoral areas were revised last year and if the need for a revision arises in the future a revision will be carried out.
Would it be reasonable to infer from what the Minister has said in relation to a lack of proposals that progress of a substantial nature has not been made in relation to reform of local government since obviously such progress would initiate proposals for restructuring boundaries?
My reply only deals with a revision of local authority electoral areas as such and I have given my reply in that context.
A final supplementary from Deputy Quinn.
If the Deputy wants further information he should put down a question which would enable me to cover that entire area.
I appreciate the Minister's offer but frequently it does not produce the result of further information. In view of the fact that there are no proposals in the Department for the reform or change of electoral boundaries at local government level, is it reasonable for the House to infer that no substaintial progress has been made by the Minister's Department since 1977 in the reform of local government?
It is not reasonable for the House to infer that from my reply.