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Departmental Policies

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2021

Tuesday, 2 November 2021

Questions (390)

Holly Cairns

Question:

390. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way his Department is meeting the Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)4 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on the participation of citizens in local public life. [52809/21]

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Written answers

The Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)4 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on the participation of citizens in local public life recommends steps and measures that impact on a range of government departments.

With regard to measures falling to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, my Department is fully focused on the measures outlined in the Programme for Government – Our shared future in relation to reforming and re-imagining our public life, and meaningful Local Government reform.

There are already a wide range of forums that facilitate engagement between local authorities, citizens and other stakeholders, including Public Participation Networks (PPNs), Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs) and Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs), as well as direct consultations on specific policy initiatives.

As part of the preparations for the 2024 local elections, my Department has updated the incentive scheme first launched in 2019 for political parties to maximise the participation of women and diversity in local government.

Since 2019, local authority initiatives have received funding for proposals building general awareness of local government and participation in local decision-making structures, particularly among women, minority and diverse communities.

Initiatives like the establishment of Women’s Councillor Caucuses at local authority and regional level, and tool-kits for both family friendly and inclusive local authorities and for political parties to address hostility on social media platforms are all in development with my Department’s funding and support.

At its meeting of 18 May 2021, the Government approved a significant reform of the remuneration of local authority elected members. It also noted the work of local government stakeholders in agreeing an Action Plan to implement a range of non-pay related reforms, including issues such as maternity leave, administrative supports and professional development for Councillors. These reforms, taken together with the pay reforms approved, will make the role of Councillor more sustainable and manageable, facilitating a cohort of members representative and fully reflective of the diverse communities they are elected to represent.

A new and innovative governance model in the form of a directly elected mayor who will be chosen directly by the people of Limerick is at an advanced stage.

With regard to the Committee of Ministers’ recommendations on voting matters, statutory electoral codes are in place in Ireland for all elections, including local elections, and these codes are kept under regular review. A number of the recommendations are already addressed in electoral law, including for example the provision of special voting arrangements for those in hospital, nursing homes and similar institutions, for those in prison as well as the provision of postal voting for certain categories of voters. In addition, the Local Government Act 2001 prohibits TDs, Senators and representatives in the European Parliament from also holding local authority membership.

The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future also sets out an ambitious programme of electoral reform including a commitment to establish an independent, statutory Electoral Commission. It contains specific commitments to examine the use of postal voting, with a view to expanding its provision; to examine the Scottish experience of reducing the voting age to 17, in order to draw conclusions; to examine replacing bye-elections with an alternate list system; and to modernise the electoral registration process.

It is intended that one of the Electoral Commission's initial functions will be to conduct research on electoral policies and procedures with a view to providing advice to the Oireachtas and to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage as may be required from time to time. Following its establishment, the Electoral Commission will be well placed, if requested, to examine, among other matters, the use of postal voting; the examination of an alternate list system and the prospect of reducing the age at which a person would be entitled to vote at elections and referendums. The Commission will also have a public awareness and education role in respect of electoral events.

In December 2020, the Government approved the General Scheme of an Electoral Reform Bill, which, inter alia, provides for the establishment of the proposed Electoral Commission and to modernise the electoral registration process. The General Scheme was published in January 2021 and is available on my Department's website at the following link www.gov.ie/en/publication/34cf6-general-scheme-of-the-electoral-reform-bill-2020/. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage completed pre-legislative consideration of the General Scheme in August and the committee’s report is available from the Oireachtas website at www.oireachtas.ie/en/committees/33/housing-local-government-and-heritage/

My Department is continuing to work with the Attorney General's Office on the drafting of the Electoral Reform Bill and good progress is being made in this regard.

Question No. 391 answered with Question No. 345.
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