Vol. 564 No. 1
83 Ms McManus asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if it is intended to review the local authority electoral areas in advance of the 2004 local elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8746/03]
The need to review local electoral areas will be considered when the census report setting out the population of the State, classified by area, is published by the Central Statistics Office. If a review is decided upon, the Local Government Act 2001 envisages that the Local Government Commission must be requested to prepare a report on the matter.
When is it expected that the census report, classified by areas—
I expect it to be published in July.
If it is the Minister's view that there is a requirement to review the local electoral areas arising from that report, when will he establish a local government commission and when would it be expected to report?
I am conscious that the report probably will not be available until July which is less than a year from the local elections. I will have to see precisely if there is something fundamentally different in the shift that appears in the census of population. I cannot be certain of that at this stage. The last review was carried out in 1998 and the preview review was in 1985. We have a recent review in place. I would have to wait until I see the detail of the census report to decide whether there is a need for another review. I am also conscious of the tight timeframe for colleagues all over the country to get a report done.
Is the Minister aware that my constituency town of Lucan has the fastest growing population and that there are other towns around, which, even from a cursory glance at the census, would indicate a need to review the boundaries? Given that the Minister is dead set, with Green Party support, in abolishing the dual mandate, will he agree it is an absolute necessity, in order to encourage some of the wavering Deputies – such as Deputy Ring of the Fine Gael Party – to give up their seats, that there be clarity in relation to the boundaries as that would assist council replacements in being nominated?
Deputy Ring's reservations are about the constitutionality issue and he should not be misrepresented here. If the census report shows there are major population changes in particular counties or borough councils and that others have remained static, could there be a partial review of boundaries instead of a national review?
Do I understand the Minister correctly, that unless a dramatic change is shown in the census report his view is that there will not be a change in local election boundaries for the local elections in 2004? If that is his view, will he give the House an indication of the nature of the change the census report would have to show? Does he have some parameter in mind in terms of population change or changes within an electoral area that would cause him to ask the Local Government Commission to report on the issue?
Unlike Dáil constituencies there are no mandatory requirements for examination of local electoral boundaries. There is also the issue of the European elections which are running concurrent. There will have to be changes there because the number of seats has been reduced. I cannot say anything at this stage without looking at the census report in detail. I am conscious of the tight timeframe for colleagues in all parties throughout the country. It is mandatory to have the European review done because the number of seats has diminished. There will be changes in that area and that review will take some time. I am concerned that the time frame for a major review of the local government boundaries may cause enormous difficulties for colleagues in parties all over the country. It may be so close to the election date that it might be wiser, if it does not cause massive difficulties all over the country, not to proceed beyond it. I would not like to be pre-emptive until I see the published census report. I have been helpful to the House in the way I am approaching this matter.
When does the Minister expect a decision on the European boundaries?
While it is not part of the question, I am conscious of the timeframe. If I get the report in July we will have August, which is a holiday period for most people. I am anxious to have finality on that issue by early autumn or October. That is the timeframe within which I am trying to operate in order that there would be absolute clarity within seven or eight months of polling day.
I always get worried when I hear about too much clarity. Will the Minister indicate what the criteria will be for the review of the Euro electoral constituencies and in the event of a review, within the specified period, in relation to local electoral areas?
The time allowed for dealing with this question has been exceeded.
We know the number of seats in Europe is being reduced from 15 to 13 seats. That is a matter of public knowledge. Clearly that will cause big changes in the areas from which candidates for these seats will come.
What is the criteria. The Minister has been very shy on these issues.
What about the tallies?
I will bring the tallies back under the electronic voting system. The Deputy need not worry.
