Brendan McGahon
Ceist:11 Mr. McGahon asked the Minister for the Environment when elections will be held to Corporations, Urban District Councils and Town Commissions.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Elections.
The Government has decided that elections at the sub-county level, which were postponed by the Local Government Act, 1991, will be held in 1994 in tandem with the elections to the European Parliament.
I had the great good fortune to be present in Kinsale last Friday week on the occasion when the Minister of State made this momentous announcement and I cannot pretend that it was the high point of the evening by any means——
It was higher than the Deputy's speech.
It was certainly the high point of his speech——
At least nobody went out when I was speaking.
The Kildare men.
When will we have proposals in relation to the structures of the bodies to which these elections will take place? Will they depart in any way from the absolutely nonsensical recommendations of the Barrington Commission? Will those charged with making proposals be freed from the outrageous restriction put on the Barrington Group that they could not talk about the financing of local authorities? Will we have proposals that will deal with the real problems of urban district councils and town commissioners? Will they deal with the financing of these bodies as well as with their structure? Will the Minister tell us whether he has any proposals to ensure that the basis those bodies have for maintaining their financial existence will continue to be kept in place?
The newly established sub-committee in the Government will report within six months to enable the necessary legislative action which, on foot of these recommendations, would need to be implemented before the end of this year or very early next year in good time for the elections which take place in June or thereabouts. They will not necessarily be bound by any recommendation by anybody. It will be for the committee to bring forward recommendations which they deem to be suitable and if necessary at the time in the context of local government reform. They will deal primarily with the functions and structures, though I have said on a number of occasions that it is virtually impossible to decide on functions and structures without also having some notion as to what the picture will be over the years in terms of finance as well.
In view of the fact that this sub-committee has so much on its agenda, perhaps the Minister would tell us who exactly is on the sub-committee. Would the Minister agree that there should not be a distinction between urban district councils and town commissioners?
We should await the outcome of the committee's proceedings.
Are Deputy Stagg and the Minister on that sub-committee?
I would like to see all these local authorities enhanced. There is a great need to tidy up and have a better way of dealing with the management of local systems. I would go very much for enhancement. The members of the committee are the chairperson, myself, the Minister for Social Welfare, the Minister for Health and the Ministers of State, Deputies Eithne Fitzgerald and Noel Dempsey.
Not the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment?
What is the Government's philosophy on local government and the reform of the local government system? What are the objectives of the Government and the committee? What are they trying to achieve?
Many people would agree that our government system is very much over centralised. There is a great need to build up tiers of local government which have a stronger base, are more autonomous and, as a result, more resposible and develop in time the resources necessary to develop at local level. The local government system is very often too cluttered up and not anything like as regional as it could and should be to allow more time at central level for the wider questions.
What is the Government's philosophy on structures?
There is a fundamental need to make that transfer from central Government to suitably developed local government systems. The county system should be maintained although it poses problems in terms of size. Nevertheless it is something which is quite concrete and should remain. Smaller local authorities for the towns should be developed as well and find their own place in terms of what their responsibilities should be in tandem with the county system.
Does the Minister anticipate that urban councils and town commissioners will be abolished and replaced by district councils? Has he made a decision on that?
No. I talked about enhancement.
That is a dream too.
I wish the Minister well in his portfolio. Would he agree that it is important in the context of reforming local government that we do not set up another layer of unnecessary bureaucracy that gets in the way of decision-making? Could the Minister assure me that the new structures and functions will not lead to an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy? I further ask the Minister why neither of his Ministers of State is involved in the sub-committee. Will the Minister assure me, having been involved in two sub-committees myself during the last Government, that the sub-committee's report will be brought to a conclusion?
If I had any idea that the partnership would have broken up the way it did, I would have rushed the scheme a little more at the time. In the context of local government reform we want to free the system and not establish new layers of bureaucracy or create bottlenecks which cut across the philosophy of trying to get things done quickly. The Government take overall responsibility and the local authorities have authority for real manoeuvre within agreed allocations. I hope to keep to the deadline I outlined today, complete the report and study by six months and have the enabling legislation in good time for the local elections next year.
In view of the fact that it is proposed to set up the three new Dublin county councils by January 1994, would the Minister as a matter of urgency make some decision as to the role of the Balbriggan town commissioners in those three new councils? It now needs urgent attention.
There are certain deadlines we want to meet by January 1994. There are some teething problems that have to be organised relative to staff. I am investigating all these matters as a matter of priority.
I am very wise after all that.
Will the elections to be held in 1994 include elections to district councils in the Dublin area or will district councils in the Dublin area be established by 1994?
I am not able to give a definite answer in this regard. My view would be that by the time we have completed the general examination of the structures for the future, it may well be that Dublin will be excluded because of the major changes taking place and the need to get these new authorities up and going. It may be that the proposition for Dublin as outlined by the Deputy may not proceed in tandem, but it is early days yet.