I move:
"That the Bill be now read a Second Time".
Local Government Provisional Confirmation Bill, 1989 [Seanad]: Second Stage.
The procedure for the alteration of a borough boundary is set out in the Local Government (Application of Enactments) Order, 1989, and the Local Government Ireland Act, 1898. Under the relevant provisions Clonmel Corporation made representation to me, as Minister for the Environment, to extend the boundary. As required by law a local inquiry was held at which both Clonmel Corporation and Tipperary South Riding County Council were represented and all other interested parties were afforded an opportunity to express their views on the proposal. Having considered the report and recommendations of the inspector who held the inquiry, I decided to approve the extension without modification and accordingly made the Borough of Clonmel (Alteration of Boundary) Provisional Order, 1989 on 24 November last. The proposed extension had been agreed between both local authorities.
The purpose of the Bill is to give effect to the Provisional Order, made by me on 24 November. The order provides for the extension of the Borough of Clonmel so as to take in an area of Tipperary South Riding comprising 1,537 acres approximately with a population of 3,058 based on the 1986 census. The order is provisional only and has no effect until confirmed by an Act of the Oireachtas; hence this Bill to confirm the order which is set out in the Schedule to the Bill.
The order which forms the Schedule to the Bill contains a number of provisions which are consequential on the extension. These are along the usual lines for boundary alteration and provide for the preparation of official maps of the extended borough area; the continuation in effect of by-laws, resolutions and orders in relation to the transferred area; consequential adjustment of county electoral areas, polling districts and the continuation in office of borough councillors; adjustment of property, rights and liabilities and continuation of the development plan.
As I explained in the Seanad, Clonmel has a long history in local government terms: From 1371 A.D. to 1608 A.D. Clonmel was governed by a "Sovereign" which office was established at the behest of the Duke of Ormond. The mayoralty was established by Royal Charter of 1608 A.D. and the mayoral roll is unbroken from that time to the present with the exception of the period 1650 to 1656 when it was under a military governor after the town's eventual surrender to Cromwell.
Clonmel held its status as a Municipal Borough with the passing of the Municipal Corporation (Ireland) Act, 1840. Under that Act, Clonmel retained its corporate status with the title of the corporate body changing from the mayor, free burgesses and commonalty of the Town of Clonmel to its present title of the mayor aldermen and burgesses of Clonmel. The borough council has a membership of 12 including the mayor and four aldermen.
The boundaries of the Borough of Clonmel were last extended by the Clonmel Corporation Act, 1895, which in effect altered the county boundary of Waterford and Tipperary to bring that part of the Borough in County Waterford within the South Riding of Tipperary. It will be apparent therefore that it is not far short of a hundred years since the boundary was last altered. The current boundary extension as well as taking in development that has overspilled the old boundary will ensure that sufficient development land will be available to the borough for some time to come to cater for future expansion. The Clonmel development plan which was prepared jointly by both authorities already includes the area proposed for transfer.
It is hoped to have the present legislation enacted before the Christmas recess so that the boundary extension will come into force as from 1 January 1990 to coincide, for obvious administrative, accounting and practical reasons, with the start of the financial year and thereby avoid inconvenience to all affected by the boundary change. The Bill received a warm welcome in the Seanad and all Stages of the Bill were taken in the Upper House on 7 December.
I commend the Bill to the House and I would like to ask for the co-operation of Deputies in ensuring that it will have a speedy passage so that the boundary extension can become effective on 1 January next.
I welcome the Minister's announcement of the extension of the boundary of the Borough of Clonmel following representations by Clonmel Corporation and the subsequent holding of a public inquiry and in agreement with Tipperary South Riding County Council.
Clonmel is situated in the scenic Suir Valley in South Tipperary. As well as being the largest inland town, Clonmel is the principal town in our constituency. It is administered by a borough council. It has a population of approximately 12,000 people. It is an historic town, still possessing many remnants of the past and parts of the medieval walls have been restored. Clonmel is a thriving shopping and commercial centre. Its main industries are: Digital International, Showerings, Schissers, Medite of Europe and Clonmel Chemicals. A wide range of smaller industries also operate in the town and play a vital role in providing economic and employment spin-offs.
For a period, Clonmel appeared to be unaffected by the economic recession but over the past 12 months it has suffered to an undesirable extent from an economic decline. This is evident from the closure of Burkes Bacon Factory, Currans and the replacement of Clonmel Foods by Master Meats which now employs a reduced workforce. A similar outcome now appears to be the result of the dispute at Barlo Heating Company.
It was against this background that an application was made to the Department of the Environment for an extension to the borough boundary. The reasons for seeking such an extension were fourfold; first, the town of Clonmel physically extends very substantially beyond the borough boundary and, as a consequence, no further land was available to Clonmel Corporation for any new housing development within their own borough. The last three housing schemes built by Clonmel Corporation were erected outside the borough because they did not have any lands within their own boundary. Indeed, the present boundary intersects various housing schemes, corporation and private, resulting in a different provision of services and a different charge for services to neighbouring houses within one scheme. The boundary was illogical and in total conflict with the natural, visible and acceptable distinctions between urban and rural.
It was necessary — indeed compelling — for Clonmel Corporation to apply for such an extension in order to provide the capacity and the freedom to develop housing and other developments within their own borough. The second reason for the application for the extension lies in the fact that the main drainage scheme, the northern Suir, was to a large extent located outside the borough boundary and, therefore, gave rise to numerous difficulties, some of which I will refer to later.
A further reason for the application of the borough extension lies with the problems that arose in drawing up a town development plan which, once again, involved Clonmel Corporation and South Tipperary County Council. A good, cohesive and workable development plan is best drawn up by one local authority, not two. As a result, unfortunately, two rather unsuccessful development plans were produced and the main reason for their lack of success was the problem with the borough boundary.
The area recommended for inclusion in the borough is very much part and parcel of Clonmel town. The residents are part of the town but not of the town. They, rightly and justifiably, demanded to be within the borough as they wanted to have a voice in the day-to-day running of the town and a say in the future development of Clonmel. They felt isolated and separated by an unnatural, illogical and unacceptable boundary fence. Therefore, I welcome the announcement by the Minister which will involve the inclusion of 926 houses, bringing the total boundary area to 1,087 hectares, giving a population to Clonmel of 15,472.
However, I must remind the Minister that the extension of the borough boundary is only a part of the whole plan for the future development and prosperity of Clonmel. Equally important is the awaited official announcement of Clonmel being designated under the Urban Renewal Act. We have heard many rumours and promises have been made but it is regrettable that the Minister did not use this occasion to announce, alongside the extension of the borough boundary, the designation of Clonmel for urban renewal. Both are intrinsically intertwined with the future of this town which has a vast potential.
I wish to impress on the Minister the great importance of Clonmel being designated under the Urban Renewal Act. It is an old town and many of the buildings in its centre have become dilapidated and derelict, which has a depressing effect on the town centre trade. However, I congratulate Clonmel Corporation in acquiring substantial redevelopment sites by agreement and compulsory purchase orders over the past ten years or more. The corporation have invested £1 million in these acquisitions and the servicing of this investment at a time of financial constraint has become a severe burden on their revenues. Clonmel Corporation have acquired 55 acres of industrial land for development within their new boundaries. Unfortunately, the recession militated against development but now, due to the financial burden as a result of such development, designation under the Urban Renewal Act is urgently needed.
The fact that Clonmel Corporation acquired an amount of land for development proved the enormous commitment to generate major urban renewal. The financial burden they are prepared to undertake to sustain this effort also proves they are absolutely committed to urban renewal. Few, if any, urban authorities in the country have undertaken such an expensive involvement in a development plan. I also wish to point out to the Minister that the preservation and restoration of areas of Clonmel, like the Main Guard, are of paramount importance to the historical and architectural aspect of the town in general. In spite of the enormous efforts made by Clonmel Corporation to entice developers to the town, they have been totally unrewarded by virtue of the fact that designated areas are in a ring round Clonmel, for example, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and Tralee. If the Minister gives Clonmel the green light, as a result of all the negotiations in the past there are developers prepared to move immediately into the site to proceed with such development. If designated, Clonmel Corporation will justify the Government's policy of designation as an effective measure to achieve urban renewal and redevelopment. I appeal to the Minister to include Clonmel under the Urban Renewal Act as a matter of urgency.
I have already referred to the main drainage scheme, the northern Suir, as one of the reasons for the extension of the Clonmel boundary. We are extremely conscious of our environment, and rightly so, yet while we monitor and criticise industry and while we pressurise farmers to provide proper facilities for farm pollution control, the River Suir in Clonmel is receiving raw, untreated sewage. Recent surveys show that the BOD level is approaching a level causing much concern. Furthermore, it is projected that, by the year 2001, if we do not have any further domestic or industrial treatment, the BOD level will rise to the alarming figure of seven. The case for the provision of a treatment plant in Clonmel is unquestionable and indeed a matter of urgency.
The costings of such a plan are estimated to be approximately £3 million to £4 million on figures almost two years old. Clonmel Corporation have submitted a plan and designs to the Minister's Department and I appeal to him to give the provision of a treatment plant in Clonmel the priority it deserves.
While the basic infrastructure of our town is good, many problems have been avoided because Clonmel Corporation have succeeded in providing many car parks in the town centre and shopping areas. Nevertheless, due to the non-completion of the inner relief road, the bulk of all heavy traffic and motorists still go through the town. Apart from the inconvenience, this has a negative impact on the character of our town centre. I consider it of vital importance to have the inner relief road completed as quickly as possible. However, such completion depends totally on finance provided by the Department. Therefore, I request the Minister to favourably consider the request to allocate finance in 1990 for the completion of the inner relief road.
Our problems with transport do not end there. One of the real disadvantages in Clonmel is the absence of a proper rail service but this could be easily corrected by providing an adequate feeder service to Limerick Junction which has a very good service. At the moment it is virtually impossible to travel by rail from Clonmel to Dublin. We are extremely conscious of this inadequacy and we call for a realistic and worthwhile rail service for Clonmel.
I also wish to inform the Minister of the recent and sudden closure of Clonmel swimming pool and I should like to inform him of the local efforts being made at present to reopen it as quickly as possible. This swimming pool was built in 1973 with funds raised by local people along with contributions from Clonmel Corporation and Tipperary South Riding County Council. This was a much utilised amenity, of major importance not only to the town but also to the people of the hinterland, due principally to our remoteness from any other seaside resort. Unfortunately, due to the oil crisis in 1979 measures were taken to conserve energy which contributed in part to the condensation which eventually forced the closure of this swimming pool some five months ago. While a major effort is being undertaken locally to raise £300,000 for the requisite repair and reconstruction work that task cannot be realistically completed without an input from the Department of the Environment. A commitment on the part of the Minister to meet part of the financial demands necessary for the reopening of this pool would be reassuring, in turn sustaining the enthusiasm of the people of the town for its reopening.
The consequences of the closure of this swimming pool have been many. For example, schools can no longer include swimming instruction on their curricula with the River Suir — which can be potentially dangerous — being used for bathing during the summer months having its list of unfortunate accidents. Of equal importance, people suffering various illnesses and the mentally handicapped can no longer use this amenity in their recuperation to full health while others are denied a source of enjoyment and recreation once available to them. I urge the Minister to carefully consider the application lodged by the swimming pool committee for funding from his Department. I hope he will find it possible to give them some encouragement in their efforts to have the swimming pool reopened.
Clonmel has enormous potential as a tourist centre but, unfortunately, it needs to be revitalised. The town lies in an area of high amenity value and, as such, provides a very attractive environment for residents and tourists alike. The significant landscape features of the River Suir Valley, with the backdrop of the Comeragh Mountains to the south, render Clonmel rich in scenic terms. The centre of the town is of particular historic and architectural merit which has not, as yet, been fully realised or exploited. The protection of these amenities and the improvement of the town centre are of paramount importance and must be given priority. The very existence of such amenities is a major factor in enticing further industrial and residential development in the area. Evidence of the town's pleasant environment is illustrated by the fact that Clonmel was chosen to represent Ireland in the international Entente Chorale competition in 1987.
I ask the Minister to give serious consideration to the town of Clonmel as a tourist centre, allocating us the means with which its potential can be fully exploited.
I welcome the extension of the borough boundary of Clonmel. However, this is only part of a plan necessary for the future development and prosperity of the town. For example, we depend enormously on the town's designation under the Urban Renewal Act. If the Minister intends making such announcement I would ask him to do so without delay so that we can realistically plan the future of our town, in that way ensuring that the nineties will represent the decade that will give birth to a revitalised dynamic Clonmel from which its people will reap the benefits of its full development and prosperity.
On behalf of the Labour Party I welcome this Bill whose main purpose is to extend the boundary of the Borough of Clonmel to take in an additional 1,537 acres of land, property and businesses which to date fell within the rating district of Tipperary South Riding County Council. Speaking as a member of that county council I know there is general welcome from all sides for the provision of this Bill.
At the estimates meetings of Clonmel Corporation and Tipperary South Riding County Council questions were asked with regard to the financial implications for each of those authorities. Under the County Management Act Mr. Séamus Hayes is the manager of Clonmel Corporation and also of Clonmel County Council. In response to a question posed by a colleague of Deputy Ahearn, Mr. Hayes expressed the view that the gains and losses would be balanced between the two local authorities. When replying, the Minister might give some indication of the level of changes contemplated in the rating, particularly of factories, that will now fall within the administrative control of the Borough of Clonmel as opposed to the Clonmel electoral area of Tipperary South Riding County Council.
The town of Clonmel has been correctly described by Deputy Ahearn as of special significance. It is a most picturesque town, being located in between Slievenamon and the Knockmealdowns. It is a town steeped in history going back — as the Minister said — to the year 1300 when it was governed by a sovereign. It is appropriate that we have today in the Visitors Gallery people who represent that sovereign state which originally governed the town of Clonmel. The town has other significant attributes. For example, it is the town in which the Labour Party was founded in 1911 by James Connolly, from whose town hall the Minister, many of his Cabinet colleagues and others have been extended a warm civic welcome. Clonmel Corporation's mayor, burgesses, aldermen and councillors have always extended a warm welcome to our President, Taoisigh, Government Ministers, members of other political parties and other dignatories, always demonstrating tremendous pride in their town. They have proved to be most progressive in their housing programme which now extends into the county electoral area — developments like the Wilderness and other large housing estates provided by Clonmel Corporation which, because of scarcity of land, had to be built on county council land. Therefore, it is appropriate that the provisions of this Bill and its confirmation order recognise the corporation's efforts in their administrative area.
It is my hope that the original walls of the town of Clonmel be preserved under amenity orders, ensuring their incorporation in any development plans. That is also the wish of the vast majority of its people. Clonmel also initiated the concept of public transport under the auspices of Bianconi. Bianconi's centenary was celebrated this year when Clonmel was twinned with a town in northern Italy, Costa Mosaga, his home town. To mark that event a street in that town in northern Italy was renamed Via Clonmel. It is most unusual for a continental town to recognise the contribution of somebody like Bianconi to the transport system in the south of Ireland, an expertise subsequently recognised by Governments here when he was co-opted on to our major transport authorities.
Clonmel has a history it is proud of and it is appropriate that the town would evolve into a larger area. It is the largest inland town in Ireland. The Minister, in having this legislation passed swiftly through the House, should consider an increase in the number of members on the corporation so that these 3,000 people would be better represented.
The town of Clonmel — Cluain Meala, the valley of honey — is appropriately named. It has a shopping list of needs which have been identified by Deputy Therese Ahearn and I will not reiterate it. In identifying the town for expansion and development, the Minister should understand that these needs have a specific bearing on his Department, particularly the swimming pool. I put down a parliamentary question on that matter to the Minister and I consider his reply to be positive; he said that he will look favourably at the request that has been made to him, not alone by Clonmel Corporation but by the swimming pool committee.
The beautiful River Suir which is one of our major salmon and trout rivers, second only to the Blackwater, should be preserved. Sufficient funds should be made available to Clonmel Corporation to proceed with their major sewage treatment plant. Also in reply to a parliamentary question I put down, the Minister of State, Deputy Connolly, promised that the order giving urban renewal approval would be forthcoming before Christmas, and that is on the record of the House. I am disappointed that the Minister frowns at that promise but that is exactly what his colleague in the Department of the Environment confirmed to me on the floor of this House a short number of weeks ago.
I hope the Minister will have regard to the fact that my party leader and colleague, Deputy Spring, considered Clonmel to be important enough to ensure that the natural gas grid was extended to the town. That has permitted the town to be progressive in its provision of energy. The natural gas grid was recently extended to Tipperary Crystal on the periphery of the town of Clonmel. The provision of this tremendous amenity will mean a 30 per cent reduction in energy costs for that industry and hopefully, energy costs for the swimming pool will also be much lower in future.
There is an active Earthwatch committee in Clonmel. They report on pollution of the environment by industry, CFCs, the local authorities and so on. If it were not for a group like Earthwatch we would be inclined to neglect some of the areas for which we all have responsibility. The town has also recently launched its own radio, Suirland Radio, which broadcasts voices the local people recognise. This town has made a major contribution to the economic development not alone of County Tipperary, but the adjoining counties of Waterford and Kilkenny.
Like my colleague Deputy Ahearn, I am concerned about the lack of employment opportunities in Clonmel and the surrounding areas. There have been major job losses there in recent times, particularly the loss of 156 jobs in the Barlo industry. I am sorry to record that today the Labour Court talks to resolve this dispute have broken down again. The future development of the town will depend on all of us. We should assist in every way possible in extending the boundary of the town and ensuring that the mayor and the corporation can give an excellent service, as they have done in the past. Clonmel and South Tipperary should be seen as an area with job opportunities and should not be cursed with emigration and unemployment which sadly is the case at present. The unemployment figures for towns in the county are twice the national average.
We all have responsibilities. We cannot sit back on our laurels and say we are making marvellous progress and that there is an improvement in the economy. The only real proof of an improvement in the economy is increased job creation. That responsibility rests not alone with Government but also with the private sector which I hope will respond to this positive scheme of the extension of the county boundary.
I hope that the problems vis-à-vis the rating structure and the differences in water charges, with which the county is still cursed between one authority and another will be overcome. The anomalies where the people in the Clonmel Corporation area pay less in water and service charges than their country cousins should be addressed by the Minister by way of increased block grants and increased Government contributions. We should ensure that local authorities are not totally dependent on shops and industry, water charges, sanitary service charges and planning charges for their finances. The Minister should ensure that they are properly funded in the future.
Hopefully this new challenge facing the Borough of Clonmel will be met positively by the Minister for the Environment and the Government who hold the purse strings which allow local authorities to develop and provide better services for their people. I have no doubt that the elected representatives in Clonmel Corporation will meet this challenge and they will be looking for a positive response from the Minister for the Environment. Funds should be provided so that progress can be made in the town, particularly for the inner relief road, further local authority housing and the major sewerage scheme which, according to every expert and all the research that has been done, is required.
The River Suir which flows through Clonmel town is polluted from industry upstream and in the town. I hope the Minister will be positive in his response to Clonmel Corporation and their demands, which are not unreasonable. I welcome the Bill and the Labour Party will support any efforts the Minister makes in this regard.
Deputy Gilmore.
This Bill has to go through before 5 p.m. and I am not sure what Deputy Gilmore's interest in the area is.
Acting Chairman
There are ten minutes remaining and I suggest that the two Deputies co-operate in sharing the time.
Before Deputy Davern intervened I was going to say that I would be quite happy to curtail my remarks to allow him to contribute because I appreciate that he is a Deputy for the area.
There was a lot of bull spoken in relation to the Bill and I want to refer to some of it.
The less the Deputy says now the more time he will get.
We will hear some more bull when the Deputy lets him in.
On behalf of The Workers' Party I should like to welcome this Bill which proposes the extension of the borough boundary of Clonmel. I should also like to congratulate Clonmel Corporation on the extension of this boundary. Unfortunately the extension of a borough boundary is an all too rare occurrence. Over the past few decades we have seen the urbanisation of this country with the suburbs of the major cities and provincial towns growing in size and population. Unfortunately this growth has not been matched by corresponding changes in local authority boundaries or in the status of the urban authorities.
On 14 November last the Minister of State told me that since 1978 the boundaries of only five urban authorities — Athy, Bray, Ennis, Longford and Tralee — have been extended. Anyone who is familiar in any way with our towns will find it difficult to understand, with the degree of urban growth we have seen, why only five urban districts have been expanded in the past 11 years and why it has taken 100 years to revise the boundaries of Clonmel Borough. The boundaries of many towns are 100 years out of date and, as a result, local democracy suffers. In many areas the urban population whose taxes pay for local government are seriously under-represented and the population of the real towns are not represented on their local authorities. The idea that one could have taxation without representation was sufficient to cause a revolution in one country 200 years ago. There are serious anomalies in this area because urban councils do not have jurisdiction over the suburbs of many towns that have grown over the years. The result of this is that county councils act as planning authorities for the suburbs of towns, many of the people who live in the suburbs feel alienated and boundaries are seriously out of date.
It is regrettable that where extensions have been given this has occurred after growth has taken place. There is a strong case to be made for the extension of boundaries to be considered at an earlier stage so as to enable towns and urban authorities to plan for those extended boundaries. There is also a need to simplify and update the legislation and procedures for the extension of urban boundaries. It is ridiculous that the legislation which governs this area dates from the last century and is totally out of touch with the needs of the latter part of this century.
A number of towns are still waiting for the revision of their boundaries and I should like the Minister to address these as a matter of urgency. No doubt he will tell us those areas will be considered in the context of the committee that is being established to examine local government. I believe the discussion on this Bill will afford the Minister an opportunity to clarify the exact position in regard to this committee. We have been told it is to be established and to report within a year. This committee is not yet established and even if it is established now it is unlikely to have reported before the end of 1990. Where will that leave the local elections which are due to be held next June? Is it the Minister's intention to proceed with the local elections before this committee has carried out its work and reported? If it is not his intention to do that, will he clarify when local elections are likely to be held? When I raised this matter at Question Time some weeks ago the Minister of State gave a very flippant answer. In the interests of local democracy the Minister should clarify the position as to when local elections will be held and if they will be held before the committee has reported.
First, I should like to thank the officials of the county council and corporation for the tremendous efforts they made in this area. The council and the corporation met in order to reach agreement as to where exactly the borough boundary should be. I should also like to thank the Minister for bringing this Bill forward so speedily. However, there is one point which worries me in regard to this Bill.
In view of the fact that part of the Clonmel area was taken into the Cahir electoral area during the last election because of a surplus of votes in the county council area, I am concerned that a seat will be lost in the Cahir electoral area in future elections. I think it is within the Minister's power to ensure that there will be no seat lost so that Cahir will continue to have adequate representation on the council. It would be remiss of me if I did not mention this point here today. I hope the Cahir councillors will continue to adequately represent the Cahir area.
The Clonmel area should extend back into the Comeragh mountains and not the foothills of the Knockmealdown mountains, as Deputy Ferris said. Clonmel is surrounded by the Comeragh and Slievenamon mountains and not the Knockmealdown mountains. Housing in the Clonmel area extends right to the Comeragh mountains. I know the inclusion of part of another county in our borough area is a major problem but it is essential for those people to be included so that they can have a say on environmental matters in their areas. I hope when another borough extension is being considered for this area it will be easier to expand to the south and south-west over the old bridge to Scouthea and up to the mountain road. All those areas should be included in the Clonmel area. The old bridge was included on another occasion and I know it is much more difficult on this occasion because of the county boundaries. I understand there are major problems in many parts of the country where boundary extensions are needed.
Like other speakers I welcome the announcement by the Minister last summer that Clonmel will be included in the urban renewal scheme. I was delighted with that announcement and I want to thank the Minister publicly for it. I know he has discussed the details of this proposal and I believe that when it is announced it will be welcomed by all the people in Clonmel who will respond by taking action immediately. Negotiations are well advanced with many firms who will contribute to the improvement of the town.
I want again to thank the Minister for the speed with which he brought this Bill forward. It will enable my council area to be brought into the urban area and this will help them in their planning for the year 2000.
I should like to thank all the Deputies for their very constructive contributions on the Bill and their co-operation in enabling it to be passed speedily through the House so that the boundary can take effect from 1 January. The designation under the Urban Renewal Act was raised by all Deputies. I think there is on the record of the House a commitment to do this but if it is not I want to put it on the record now by saying it is my intention to designate some eight other provincial centres for urban renewal in the not too distant future. Clonmel will be one of those towns.
Will it be before Christmas?
It will not take place before Christmas. This is not because of any tardiness on the part of the Minister or the Minister of State but because of matters which have arisen in regard to the finalisation of the maps. I have to say this does not apply to Clonmel. These areas will be designated as quickly as possible in the near future.
Deputy Ahearn made a strong case for Clonmel. Not alone will we be encouraged to visit the area but we will be conscious of the needs of the town and the corporation area. The financial implications were referred to by Deputy Ferris and I should like to tell him, giving an overview, that they are almost neutral. The financial adjustments that have to take place because of the variations in the rate support grants and commercial rates involvement have been thrashed out and agreed between the two authorities involved.
Deputy Gilmore expressed concern about the lack of effort as far as extensions are concerned and I should like to tell him that the initiative for promoting extensions must by law come from the local authorities involved. I do not have any power to intervene in these matters but I will support any applications that came before me to be dealt with in that way. I agree that the legislation is somewhat out of date and that there is a need to extend and revise some of the boundaries.
I should like to tell Deputy Gilmore, in regard to local elections, that they are due to take place in 1990 and any alteration in that has to be agreed by Oireachtas Éireann. Deputy Davern was always to the fore in so far as the designation of Clonmel for urban status was concerned and I am sure he is pleased at today's decision. I share his hope, as do his colleagues, that the development we all look forward to in Clonmel will take place. However, I must point out that while we have had considerable development in the other designated areas, not all of them have been successful. About £130 million worth of development is in construction at present with a possible £137 million at planning stage but out of the 14 other areas there are one or two disappointments. Hopefully, Clonmel will not be in that category.
And not Castlebar I hope.
Castlebar has been one of the outstanding successes of the last group of towns designated but then, of course, it would be because it is so well represented by the Minister for the Environment. I should like to thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to put that on the record. I was asked about the proposed select committee on local government and I should like to tell the House that that committee will examine the whole question of local authority funding, structures and functions. It is intended that the committee will report within one year. The House has given a strong welcome to the Bill and accommodated me greatly for which I am grateful. I should like to thank Members for their contributions.
I am now required to put the following question in accordance with the order of the Dáil of this day: "That the Bill is hereby read a Second Time; that the Schedule, the Preamble, sections 1 and 2 and the Title are hereby agreed to in Committee and the Bill is hereby reported to the House without amendment; that Fourth Stage is hereby completed and that the Bill is hereby passed".
Question put and agreed to.
A message will be sent to Seanad Éireann acquainting it that the Dáil has passed this Bill without amendment.