Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 5 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 3

Written Answers - Local Representation.

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

28 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the action, if any, he intends to take to address the huge disparity between the councillor to elector ratio in parts of Dublin and in some other parts of the country prior to the next local government elections, having regard to the impact on Seanad elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5854/98]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

There are no constitutional or statutory requirements relating to equality of representation between different local authorities. Local authorities operate within their own administrative areas and the main priority is that each of them has sufficient members to carry out its functions effectively. Complete equality of representation, bearing in mind demographic features as between urban and rural areas, would be difficult to achieve and could result in reductions in some authorities.

I have established two boundary committees whose terms of reference include reviewing the population to councillors ratio within local authorities but do not provide for any increase or decrease in the number of elected members in any authority. The boundary committees' reports will be considered as the basis for a revision of the local electoral areas for use at the local elections to be held in June 1999.

I will be bringing forward comprehensive legislation to modernise local government law and to underpin the major programme for the renewal of local government. The Bill will present an opportunity for the House to discuss the question of representation between local authorities.