Vol. 411 No. 5
8 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Environment when he will announce the Government's proposals in respect of sub-county local authorities; if he intends to introduce legislation in this session to alter or change current corporation, urban district council and town commission areas of responsibility or functions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
35 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline the arrangements which are being made to ensure that local elections in respect of urban areas will take place next year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
58 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline the Government's plan for further structural reform of local government especially in relation to urban district councils and town commissions; if it is his intention to establish new district councils; when the elections to these councils will be held; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 35 and 58 together. It is the intention that decisions in relation to proposals for sub-county local government structures will be taken by the Government before the end of this year and that the relevant legislation will be brought forward to enable elections to be held at sub-county level in June 1992.
Would the Minister confirm that he accepts the recommendations contained in the report of the expert advisory committee on local government reform which was published last year, that one of the two models put forward by them will be implemented and resources will be made available to allow this to happen so that elections can take place in June next year?
I must correct the Deputy; no recommendations——
There were two recommendations.
Options.
——were made by the expert committee who reported to the Government at that time. They outlined two separate and distinct options.
Correct.
Following the conclusion of negotiations on the Government programme which was announced last Friday, the matter he has referred to will be considered and all matters will be taken into consideration.
Let me put a direct question to the Minister. Last year in the House — I remember it well — the Minister accepted the two models proposed by the Barrington Committee. I ask him again if the new structures will reflect the options suggested by the Barrington committee.
It may be one or the other or it maybe something entirely different. The Government will decide in due course. I have indicated that we would like to do this in the immediate future. Certainly, the matter will be considered by the Government before December this year.
Deputy Howlin rose.
I have to call Deputy Gilmore who has a question tabled on this subject.
Given that the recently published Programme for Government states that proposals in this matter are to be put before the Government by the end of October, would the Minister indicate which of the two options recommended in the Barrington report — district committees of existing authorities or new district councils — is being pursued by the Government? Second, would he indicate in relation to the elections to these bodies next June if all the elections to these bodies will proceed next June, or if it is intended to have elections to some of them only?
The Deputy knows full well that the Minister is not going to give any indication in advance of Government consideration of the matter.
Which of the two are you pursuing or thinking about?
Not only would it be improper but it would be inappropriate for me to discuss it here in advance of the Government considering a matter of this importance.
We discussed it last week.
It is the intention to deal with it in the immediate future. As I understand it, legislation will be required and it is proposed that it will be brought forward so that elections can take place to the new sub-county structures next June.
To all of them?
Whatever the Government decision is——
Only to some of them?
The Deputy should not preempt decisions which will have to be taken in another place.
We all know what is in the Minister's mind.
If the Deputy knows what is in my mind why is he asking me questions?
It is very hard to find out what is intended.
No matter what the details of the Government proposals are — it may well be that the Government have not yet made up their minds on the subject — and bearing in mind the amount of time needed to prepare for elections, especially if new councils are to be set up, would the Minister not acknowledge that there is a need to have legislation enacted before Christmas to give people and parties time to prepare for the local elections? Would he not accept that if legislation is not put through before Christmas it could very well be March or April before it is enacted because the budget and the budget debate follow immediately after the Christmas recess?
I agree with the Deputy that it would be preferable to have the legislation as soon as possible, but I cannot see it being passed before Christmas. I do not think that it is essential that it be there by then but if it was put through as quickly as possible afterwards it would be helpful in getting matters organised so that elections to these sub-county structures could be contested in a proper fashion. I take the Deputy's point.
I understand from the report given by the delegates of my local authority to the annual conference of the Association of Municipal Authorities that an indication was given by the Minister at that conference that there would be no change in the status of urban district councils and borough councils such as Dundalk, Drogheda and elsewhere. I also understand that an undertaking was given that they would not be eliminated and their elections would go ahead next year. Would the Minister confirm this?
Not quite; what the Minister did say, which he is happy to confirm now, at the annual conference of the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland was that he wanted to see the continuation of a system of elected sub-county authorties. That will be the case.
A brief and final question from Deputy Howlin.
I must say that the Minister's response to date on this question indicates a change in the position adopted by him last year when he accepted the Barrington report. Would he accept that the urban authorities, in particular the corporations which are not county boroughs, have a long tradition of service and urban focus, some going back centuries, and that they are dismayed at the prospect of having their powers eroded and that this should be fully taken into account in coming to a decision in Cabinet?
I would like to confirm for Deputy Howlin that that will be the case. I am very conscious of the last remark he made. It is valid.
