Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 October 2012
162. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the reason the amalgamation of South and North Tipperary county councils is being progressed, when the reality is that the savings targets will not be met and when the only reform will be less services at more cost; the savings targets that he expects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43587/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraWork on the amalgamation of North Tipperary and South Tipperary County Councils is proceeding on foot of a Government decision in July 2011 that a unified council would be established to replace the existing local authorities by mid-2014. An Implementation Group was established in September 2011 to oversee planning, preparatory work and initial implementation of the reorganisation process. The Group submitted an Implementation Plan in June 2012, which is available on my Department’s website at www.environ.ie.
The Implementation Group identified estimated savings of €6.15m per annum arising from amalgamation. The Implementation Plan proposes estimated once - off costs of €1.79m and annual costs of €0.56m arising from harmonisation of rates across both Councils. The Implementation Plan proposes that savings be thoroughly reviewed during the implementation phase and I have asked that the potential to maximise savings be examined in that context, including scope for new arrangements, efficiencies and economies of scale in the context of the unified authority.
The Implementation Plan also sets out details of a new service delivery model for a unified council which involves the streamlining of functions, while also addressing issues such as the duplication of services, maintaining local service delivery and improving council/customer interaction. I am satisfied that the amalgamation of authorities in Tipperary will provide for a more effective and coherent delivery of services, reduced administrative costs and overheads and, most importantly, stronger and more efficient local government in the county.
