Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 2 May 1996

Vol. 464 No. 8

Written Answers. - District Electoral Division.

Jim Mitchell

Question:

43 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the anger and annoyance which has arisen from the current census and the opening of a new sub-post office in respect of the names given to the electoral divisions covering Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, under the 1986 Regulations, Statutory Instrument 12 of 1986; his views on whether the names given under the preceding 1970 Regulations. Statutory Instrument 269 of 1970, more accurately reflect the geographic and postal realities; whether he will exercise his powers under section 63 of the Local Government Act, 1994, to rename the electoral divisions currently known as Cherry Orchard A, B and C, Drumfinn, Kylemore and Decies to Ballyfermot A, B, C, D, E and F respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9012/96]

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Howlin)

Wards in county boroughs and district electoral divisions in other areas are the basic units for the compilation of the register of electors and for the formation of constituencies. While agencies such as the Central Statistics Office find it administratively convenient to use them for their own purposes, wards or district electoral divisions were not designed to be used as addresses or place-names.

I am willing to consider changes in ward names in the Ballyfermot area, in consultation with Dublin Corporation and to have agreed changes in force when the next electoral register comes into operation in February 1997. My Department will liaise with the Central Statistics Office with a view to finding an acceptable way of using any agreed new names, rather than the existing ones, in the published Census volumes.