Local Authority Boundaries

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 January 2021

Thursday, 28 January 2021

Ceisteanna (101)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

101. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to extend the city council boundaries to include part or all the area at present in the County Council functional area covered by the Galway Metropolitan Strategic Plan in view of the rejection by the Houses of the Oireachtas of the plan to initiate a plan to eventually amalgamate Galway City Council and Galway County Council; if he plans to progress with this matter before the adoption of these plans in view of the ongoing review of both the Galway City plan and Galway County; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4813/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The merger of Galway City Council and Galway County Council to create a single administrative area was recommended unanimously by the Galway Expert Advisory Group in April 2018. This recommendation was endorsed by a Government Decision in June 2018 and provisions to give effect to this policy decision were included in the Local Government Bill 2018. Those provisions passed all stages in the Dáil but were defeated in the Seanad and were withdrawn.

The logic underpinning the recommendation to merge the two authorities is unchanged and I intend to review the matter in the coming months.

With regard to the Galway Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan (MASP) which forms past of the Northern and Western regional assembly regional and economic strategy (RSES) it should be noted that the MASP boundary forms a basis for strategic planning and development across adjoining administrative areas and does not represent any administrative boundary change. The Galway MASP was approved in January 2020 for strategic planning purposes to address the area immediately adjoining Galway city and suburbs.

Question No. 102 answered with Question No. 78.