Mr. Denis Conlan:

One point occurs to me that is relevant to the question and which has escaped much of the reportage, which is the policy document proposes that a significant range of reserved functions of the elected members will be devolved to district level. This is a significant distinction from the current system of area committees, which really are advisory structures. I also wish to make the related point that in respect of the historical trend regarding towns, functions and so on, it generally is accepted that the town authorities have become somewhat marginalised over the years. If one considers different reports that have been published, I note a report was adopted in 1972 by the then Government, which effectively would have replaced the 80 town authorities by committees of the county council. In 1991, the Barrington report contained two divided recommendations, one of which again recommended replacement of the town councils by area committees. In recent years, the McCarthy report recommended the outright abolition of town authorities. The local government efficiency review did not have in its terms of reference the authority to make recommendations on the structures but it recommended that rating, housing, roads and planning functions would be removed from town authorities. Consequently, what is proposed in the document under discussion should be considered against that background.

Part of the problem in the past regarding what one might call a dismissive attitude to town councils has been that the recommendations tended to be largely grounded on the considerations of operational efficiency. The view was taken that towns are too small to be efficient and therefore they must go. This document attempts to differentiate between the operational and the administrative element and the policy making, the role of the elected members. This is an absolutely fundamental and key aspect of this action programme that must be borne in mind. The document proposes that there be operational and administrative integration but devolved decision making across a significant range of functions to the districts and to members meeting as a municipal district council. Moreover, as Mr. Des Dowling has stated, it will cover the totality of the State, including some very large centres of population that have no sub-county authorities at present. This may be one relevant point to bear in mind with regard to functions, the trend in local government and the different views that have been taken over the years. This is a significant change in that respect.