Vol. 446 No. 5
16 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for the Environment the names of the towns whose townspeople have informally and formally sought of him or his predecessors in office to have Town Commission status granted to them, but who have not yet had it acceded to them; the dates of their seeking this status; and when, if ever, he intends to accede to their request. [2345/94]
It would not be practicable to try to trace all approaches, formal and informal, which may have been made over the years for town commission status. In any event, there is now almost universal acceptance of the need to replace town commissioners by modern urban structures and it would be pointless to establish commissioners in additional towns until such structures are decided on.
The Local Government Act, 1994, provides for reorganisation of town local government on the basis of proposals to be drawn up by an independent statutory Local Government Reorganisation Commission. This Commission, which will be established shortly, will be required to submit a report within 12 months containing proposals as to the appropriate criteria and procedures for the establishment of new town local authorities in towns which do not have any. It will also be required to make recommendations on other relevant aspects of town local government such as the appropriate classes and functions for existing town authorities, relationships with the county level, etc.
