Vol. 438 No. 5
4 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for the Environment the date of local authority elections; whether it is proposed to alter the structure of sub-county authorities prior to the holding of elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
5 Mrs. Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
7 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for the Environment the proposals, if any, he has to transfer certain functions from central Government to local Government; the changes, if any, that are proposed in this respect; and if he intends that these changes will be implemented prior to the holding of the 1994 local elections.
9 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alteration of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
10 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alteration of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
11 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
12 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
13 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alteration of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
16 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
17 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
18 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alterations of boundarises of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
20 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
21 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
22 Mr. McGahon asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alterations of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
23 Mr. Noonan (Limerick East) asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alterations of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
26 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alteration of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure this commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
28 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alteration of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure this commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
30 Mr. Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
32 Mrs. Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alterations of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
33 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
36 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alterations of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
37 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alterations of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
38 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alterations of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
39 Mr. Harte asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alterations of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
40 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alterations of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
41 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
44 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
45 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
46 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for the Environment the reason for the delay in publishing the proposed legislation on the restructuring of sub-county local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
47 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alteration of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure this commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
48 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
49 Mr. Noonan (Limerick East) asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
50 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alteration of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
52 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alteration of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
58 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
59 Mr. Barret asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alterations of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
60 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alteration of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
61 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
63 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
64 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
65 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
66 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
71 Mr. L. Burke asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
72 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
74 Mr. L. Burke asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alterations of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
79 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alterations of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
82 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
84 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
85 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alteration of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
87 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
89 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alternations of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
92 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alterations of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
94 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alteration of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
95 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
96 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alterations of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
98 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
102 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for the Environment if, following his request to County Managers to draw up proposals for the alterations of boundaries of up to 62 towns, he will give the steps, if any, he will take to ensure his commitment that the capacity of County Councils as the primary units of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries.
104 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for the Environment the role of the statutory Reorganisation Commission he is setting up to consider the functions and role of urban authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
131 Mrs. Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment whether the ministerial committee appointed to consider the question of local government at sub-county level has completed its deliberations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
133 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to a recent press statement to the effect that urban status will be granted to the towns of Maynooth, Leixlip and Celbridge, County Kildare, in the not too distant future; if, as indicated, extra funding to the extent of £9 million will be incorporated in such a proposal; if he intends making such funds available for the administration of the towns in question; if further funds have to be raised locally; if the proposals are likely to be implemented on time for the urban elections in June 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
134 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the request from the local Community Council for Town Commission status for Maynooth, County Kildare; if he expects to respond positively to this request with a view to holding Town Commission elections in June 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 28, 30, 32, 33, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 71, 72, 74, 79, 82, 84, 85, 87, 89, 92, 94, 95, 96, 98, 102, 104, 131, 133 and 134 together.
The Government's decisions on local government reorganisation at sub-county level were outlined in a statement issued by me on 27 January 1994, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library.
The Government has decided that the town-based local authority system should be retained and modernised. Elections to all the existing urban authorities will be held in tandem with the elections to the European Parliament on 9 June 1994. Necessary boundary alterations to encompass built-up environs of towns will be implemented by means of a Local Government Bill, which will be brought forward urgently. This will enable residents of these areas to vote at the forthcoming elections. County managers have been asked to submit boundary alteration proposals, following consultation with the elected councils concerned, by 31 March.
The proposed Local Government Bill will provide for the establishment of a statutory reorganisation commission, the role of which will be to make recommendations within 12 months as to the appropriate future classification of urban authorities; the functions for each class of authority; and the class within which each existing authority would fall. The commission will also be required to look at the position of towns which currently have no separate local authority. It would be premature for me to speculate about the position of particular towns in advance of the commission's report.
With regard to functions, the first priority will be for the commission to consider the appropriate allocation of existing functions. Questions relating to other functions would have to be considered in the light of this allocation and of the commission's recommendations regarding classification of sub-county authorities. Legislation providing for the transfer of additional functions to local authorities in a number of fields including road traffic regulation and the control of casual trading is already before the Oireachtas. I intend that the Local Government Bill will contain further provisions designed to enhance the discretionary powers of local authorities and that work on the development of other devolution proposals will be carried on, in consultation with the other Ministers concerned.
It will also be a matter for the commission to bring forward recommendations regarding the appropriate relationships between the county and sub-county levels and to consider the related financial effects. The precise steps to be taken to ensure that the financial effects of any recommended changed are satisfactory and that the position of the county council as the primary unit of local government is protected, will fall to be determined in the light of the report of the commission.
Will the Minister agree that one would have to come to the conclusion that the long awaited reform of local government is again being long fingered, particularly when one recalls that the 1984 local elections were postponed to enable reform to take place? The elections took place in 1985 without reform, while the 1990 elections were postponed in 1991 to enable reform to take place. They were postponed in 1991 to 1992, in 1992 they were postponed to 1993 and in 1993 they were postponed to 1994. It is extraordinary that no proposals have emanated from the Department of the Environment in regard to reform of the function and funding of local authorities during that period, despite the fact that the Barrington committee of experts reported on the matter, that several other studies of the local government system have been published and that work has carried out within the Department. Will the Minister agree that it is difficult for people to accept anything other than that local government reform is on the back burner and that, apart from minor changes, very little will be done in this regard? What criteria——
This question is over-long.
——will be applied in regard to the boundary changes referred to by the Minister? If circular letters in this regard are available, will the Minister make them available to the Opposition spokespersons on the Environment? If we are to take it from the Minister's reply that no new authorities will be set up in towns which have a population which equals or exceeds the populations of many of the towns which have——
The Deputy has embarked on something of a long speech at a very inappropriate time.
Will the Minister outline the criteria which will be applied in regard to the boundary changes and confirm that no new towns will be included for the elections next June?
I expect the circular letters in regard to the boundary changes issued to the county managers to be submitted to me by 31 March and these can be made available to Deputies. It is true that those towns which have no local authority, a town commissioner or urban council at present will not have the opportunity to participate in the next local elections, which will be held in June. The proposed Local Government Bill will, for the first time this century, make provision for such participation at the subsequent local elections in 1996.
The Deputy complained that no decision has been made and no action has been taken. This is the first time this century that a Government has accepted the need for the retention of town-based authorities and that there will be a detailed boundary extension of local authorities. In the case of some urban authorities three times as many people are living outside the existing town boundary as are living within it and these people have no opportunity to participate in the elections. For the first time I, as Minister for the Environment, will give these people an opportunity to participate in the local elections.
Deputy Molloy referred to the Barrington Commission. As the Deputy knows better than anyone else — he was in Government for ten and a half years and spent a good part of that time in the Department of the Environment.
I was there for less than three years 20 years ago.
——the Barrington Commission did not make a precise recommendation in this area. It made two different recommendations, one of which the Deputy supports, that is, the establishment of 70-80 new local authorities and the election of approximately 800 new councillors. For a party which proposed abolishing the Seanad a few years ago, that is fairly unique.
We believe in subsidiarity, but obviously the Minister does not.
The establishment of the reorganisation commission means that the Government has once again long fingered the issue of local government reform. This is a great disappointment after the delay in holding the local elections — it is nine years since the last elections.
It is shameful.
While I fully accept the democratic need to extend the boundaries in the 62 towns concerned by 31 March, are we to believe that county councils — the bodies referred to by the Minister as the primary local authorities — will have to wait for the findings of the reorganisation commission to know how they will receive financial compensation for the loss of their rateable areas, which will in future be included within the urban area? Is it the case that the county councils will not know how they will be compensated? The boundaries will be extended for June, but the main local authorities, the county councils, will be left in the dark until the findings of the reorganisation commission are made known.
I reject Deputy Doyle's suggestion that the Government is long fingering the reorganisation of local authorities by setting up the reorganisation commission.
We know it.
The Deputy knows that the last time Fine Gael was in office there was only one piece of legislation on local government reform——
Unfortunately, it is a long time——
Please, let us hear the Minister.
——since 1987.
Deputy Doyle has asked some questions.
We introduced the Local Government Act, 1991.
The Minister cannot keep going back to 1987 and before that——
A Cheann Comhairle, is there an opportunity——
Order.
The Government has the biggest majority of any Government and it should be ashamed of itself.
If we are going to have constant interruptions of this kind, I am proceeding to the next question quite promptly.
As I was saying, in the last number of years we have had the Local Government Act, 1991, the Controls Regulation, 1992, the Roads Act, 1993, and the Road Traffic Bill. All of these were opportunities——
Answer the question, please.
Deputy Doyle should cease.
I availed of these opportunities to take on board for the first time——
This century.
——the representations made to me to transfer as far as possible more power and functions to the local authorities. In case she has forgotten, this move has been accepted and welcomed by the Deputy.
Yes, I have no difficulty with that.
County councils will remain the primary unit. I have visited every county council throughout the country and I have been amazed at the disparity between what is happening in various local authorities. Even in the case of local authorities with the same urban character and same legal remit, the level of dependence on the county council can vary enormously between one area and another. The use of staff from the county councils can also vary enormously from one area to another.
Will the Minister yield so that I can ask another question?
I decided that one of the best ways to approach this issue was to set up a commission which would listen to local interests and then decided, what was suitable for Enniscorthy, Gorey, etc.
Will the Minister yield so that I can ask a question?
I will listen to what local people have to say about this matter. The county council will remain the fundamental and primary unit and the finances for the county councils arising from my decision will be satisfactory.
I will hear supplementaries from the Deputies concerned.
A Cheann Comhairle——
You cannot intervene, Deputy. Only Deputy Doyle and Deputy Molloy——
I want to ask a question.
That may be so, but we are dealing with Priority Questions.
The time is up; it is after 3 o'clock.
Please, Deputy.
Was it not agreed by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges——
Resume your seat, Deputy.
It was agreed——
The Deputy should not waste time. I will allow Deputy Doyle a brief question and I will call Deputy Molloy for a further question.
Can the Minister answer this question precisely and not lecture us on what we did not do in the mid-80s?
I would have answered long ago if I had been given an opportunity.
Given the Minister's quotation, how does he intend to ensure that the capacity of county councils as the primary unit of local government will not be adversely affected by the revised town boundaries?
I have some of the most imaginative ideas and the Deputy will be hearing about those in the Local Government Bill in the coming weeks.
I am glad to hear the Minister putting a spin on the minimalist changes to which he is referring. Would the Minister reply to the question I asked concerning the criterion he intends applying in relation to the extension of the boundaries of the existing towns in which local authority elections will be held next June?
Essentially, it is to take account of the natural growth of the town and urban areas, something with which the Deputy will be quite familiar. We have a considerable amount of statistics from the Central Statistics Office in this regard, but I will be depending on the experience of the county managers and the elected members to take sensible and appropriate decisions in relation to that matter; it is not an issue on which I wish to dictate absolutely. Originally the view was that this should be done by a commission, but our experience in the Dublin reorganisation was so satisfactory that we decided to rely on local initiative in relation to this matter.
We proceed now to Priority Question No. 6. Since this priority question was not taken in priority time, it will be taken as an ordinary question. In regard to Question No. 6, questions may be put by Deputies other than the Deputy concerned.
