Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 20 Nov 1997

Vol. 483 No. 2

Written Answers. - Dublin Electoral Areas.

Jim Mitchell

Ceist:

143 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the plans, if any, he has to revise the administrative boundaries of Dublin County Borough, the administrative county of Fingal, the administrative county of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and the administrative county of South Dublin in order to equalise the ratio of councillors to population in view of the 1996 Census of Population. [20001/97]

Jim Mitchell

Ceist:

144 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the plans, if any, he has to increase the number of councillors in Dublin County Borough in order to equalise the ratio of councillors to population in view of the 1996 Census of Population. [20002/97]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 144 together.

The membership of Fingal County Council, South Dublin County Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council was provided for on their establishment in the Local Government (Dublin) Act, 1993. The number of elected members on Dublin City Council was determined in the Local Government (Reorganisation) Act, 1985. There are no proposals at present to amend these provisions. I have no plans to revise the administrative boundaries of the Dublin authorities, nor have any of the authorities made submissions in this regard.

There are no constitutional or statutory requirements relating to equality of representation between local authorities. Each local authority operates within its own administrative area and the main priority is that the relevant council has sufficient members to carry out its functions effectively.

There are significant variations in the councillor to population ratios as between local authorities. The question of an appropriate level of local representation is a complex and difficult one affecting all local authorities. I will consider this matter in the context of the overall programme of local government renewal. Later next year, I hope to bring forward a local government Bill to underpin the reform programme and to modernise local government law.