Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 February 2022
359. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a commission is to be established to revise the boundaries of the local election areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7849/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 23 of the Local Government Act 2001 empowers the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to divide a local authority area into local electoral areas and to amend those areas. However, in advance of deciding to make an order under section 23 of the Act, the Minister must, in accordance Part V of the Local Government Act 1991 (as amended), request a boundary committee to make a report having regard to such matters as may be specified by the Minister.
The Minister must publish the report of the boundary committee and must have regard to the report of that committee when deciding to make an order in relation to any amendment to local electoral area boundaries.
In January 2021, Minister O'Brien and I published the General Scheme of the Electoral Reform Bill. The general scheme addresses a number of commitments in the Programme for Government - Our Shared Future including the commitment to establish a statutory Electoral Commission. The general scheme has been published on my Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/publication/34cf6-general-scheme-of-the-electoral-reform-bill-2020/. The Bill is included on the list of priority legislation in the Government's current legislation programme and I expect that it will be published and will commence its progress through the Oireachtas early this year.
The Electoral Commission will be independent of Government and will report directly to the Oireachtas. Following its establishment, it will, among other matters, take on several existing statutory electoral functions from the outset, including the work currently undertaken by local electoral area boundary committees.
At this point in time, no decision has been taken in relation to a review of local electoral area boundaries in advance of the next local elections in 2024.
