Local Government Reform

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 February 2014

Tuesday, 18 February 2014

Questions (492)

Kevin Humphreys

Question:

492. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the steps proposed to implement the terms of section 48 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014; if he will clarify whether, in the case of a council that does not have municipal districts, it is intended that the corporate policy group will include at least one member from each local electoral area and, if so, the mechanism to achieve this in view of the fact that section 133(1)(c) of the Local Government Act 2001, as inserted by section 48 of the 2014 Act, refers only to municipal districts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7692/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I intend that section 48 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 will come into effect on the establishment day provided for in section 8 and the transfer date provided for in section 24(1) of the 2014 Act. It is anticipated that the establishment day and transfer date will be 1 June 2014.

The main purpose of municipal districts is to provide a more coherent and comprehensive system of sub-county governance in place of town councils. In that context the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland suggested at the Working Group for Engagement with Local Authority Representative Associations that each municipal district should be represented on the Corporate Policy Group (CPG). The relevant provision in the 2014 Act was framed following engagement with the local authority representative associations regarding this proposal, which related only to representation on the CPG from the municipal districts and, accordingly, this requirement does not apply in relation to electoral areas in local authorities where the municipal district will not apply.