Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 June 2013
34. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a decision has been made on the powers that will be transferred from city and county managers to elected councillors; and when the relevant legislation will be drafted. [28069/13]
View answerThe Action Programme for Effective Local Government - Putting People First, sets out Government decisions for a range of local government reform measures, including matters covered in Chapter 11 to reinforce the primacy of the elected council within the local government system and to rebalance the role of the council in relation to the present position of county manager. These include stronger and more explicit statutory expression in relation to the powers of elected members and the duty of the manager/chief executive to comply with policy as set down by the elected council, together with measures to strengthen the capacity generally of the elected council to oversee the business of the authority. The relationship between manager and members will also be changed to that of chief executive and “board of directors”, appropriate to a modern system of administration, which better reflects the fact that the primary function of the manager/chief executive is to implement policy determined by the elected council.
Some important new reserved functions are also being created, for example, the adoption of economic development plans, local and community development plans, and service plans. In addition, the scope for further extension of the reserved functions of elected members will be pursued in the implementation of the reform programme and their functions will also be strengthened in the context of the new system of municipal districts.
Details in relation to these measures will be set out in the legislation which is required to provide for the wide range of measures in the Action Programme for Effective Local Government. Work on drafting the Local Government Bill 2013 is proceeding satisfactorily and I am firmly committed to ensuring that the Bill will be published in good time to enable enactment well ahead of the 2014 local elections.
