Work on the reform of local government is already underway following Government decisions to merge Limerick City and County Councils and North and South Tipperary County Councils by mid-2014. Progress reports have been submitted by the Reorganisation Implementation Groups in these areas and each Group is due to produce an Implementation Plan by mid-2012. The report of the Waterford Local Government Committee, which was established to consider whether Waterford City and County Councils should be unified, was submitted to me recently and is under examination.
Building on these actions, I intend to bring wider policy proposals to Government in the near future for an action programme on local government, with particular focus on strengthening structures generally at regional, county and sub-county levels and expanding the role of local government as per the Programme for Government. The reform programme will also reflect other work under way in relation to local government efficiency implementation and financing and will broadly map out further aspects of the local government system on which reform proposals will be considered.