Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 21 Oct 1998

Vol. 495 No. 5

Written Answers. - Local Government Structures.

John Perry

Question:

133 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will make a statement on the task force report on the integration of local government and local development systems; the plans, if any, he has for the future role of county enterprise boards, area partnership boards and Leader companies; if the Government has adopted this report; and his views on the major policies in this regard. [20704/98]

John Perry

Question:

134 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if the task force report on the integration of the local government and local development systems will be published; the consideration, if any, given to strand two of the British-Irish Agreement which presents opportunities on both sides of the Border to work in new partnerships for the economic benefit of all, particularly, in the six Southern counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20655/98]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together.

The recommendations of the report of the interdepartmental task force on the integration of local government and local development systems has been accepted by Government. The report will be published shortly and copies will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The report sets out a framework under which local government and the local development agencies, including area partnerships, county enterprise boards and Leader groups, will by a series of steps operate in an integrated fashion. The framework will set the local development agencies continuing to report to their relevant Government Departments; in the case of area partnerships, the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation; county enterprise boards, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and Leader groups, the Department of Agriculture and Food.

Implementation of the report's recommendations will be overseen by the task force. The task force will shortly be consulting with the four pillars under Partnership 2000, with local government and local development interests, as regards implementation.

I am satisfied that implementation of the task force's report, which also has regard to the need to take account of the possibility of new arrangements which might arise from closer North-South co-operation, will result in a system of local governance, which will combine the best of both local government and local development and bring about a more co-ordinated and integrated approach to the delivery of services at the local level.