Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016
612. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to establish an electoral boundary commission in order to review the local authority electoral boundaries for the 2019 Local Elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25463/16]
View answerThe most recent review of local electoral areas was carried out from November 2012 to May 2013 by a Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee established under the Local Government Act 1991. The recommendations of that committee were implemented through 30 Statutory Instruments made in January 2014.
Unlike the position for Dáil and European Parliament constituencies, there is no constitutional or legislative requirement for the revision of local electoral areas.
There is a commitment in the Programme for Government to consider reducing the size of the local electoral areas; this will be examined in the preparation of a report for Government and the Oireachtas by mid-2017 on potential measures to boost local government leadership and accountability.
