Vol. 454 No. 3
115 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for the Environment in regard to his reported remarks in an interview with The Sunday Tribune regarding the timescale for proposed local government reforms, including finance, the proposals, if any, he has to reduce the timescale for those reforms in view of concern at the current situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10498/95]
An independent statutory local government reorganisation commission is currently conducting a review of town local government, including classification, functions, staffing, financial and other organisational arrangements for town local authorities and their relationships with county councils. Under the terms of the Local Government Act, 1994, the commission is to report by January 1996.
The proposed major study on the financing of local authorities will examine all issues relevant to local authority current income and expenditure. Its conclusions will provide a key input into proposals on local authority funding which will be published in a White Paper. It is intended that Stage 1 of the study will be completed before the end of 1995.
Having regard to the scope and complexity of the issues involved, it would not be realistic to consider a reduction of the timescale for either of these exercises.
