Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I move amendment No. 1:

In page 9, line 27, after “Government” to insert “Reform”.

It is appropriate in many ways that the first official amendment to be moved is to section 1(1) which deals with the Short Title of the Bill. Although straightforward in terms of text, inserting the word "Reform" signals in an unambiguous way the intent and scope of the Bill in relation to the radical reform of the functions, structures and governance of the local government system to ensure it will be at the heart of public service provision at local level. The change also takes account of the fact that the Local Government Act 2001 continues to be the core statutory basis for the local government system. The Bill provides the legislative framework to implement the reform programme and will deliver significant structural changes at county, sub-county and regional level. It will reverse the trend in past decades of marginalising local government by providing new roles for the sector in community development, enterprise support and economic development. It will deliver changes across a range of local governance and management issues, including the replacement of the traditional post of manager by a new post of chief executive and the introduction of innovative measures such as the establishment of a national oversight and audit commission. It will provide for the holding of a plebiscite on a directly elected mayor for Dublin. It will provide the legal basis for implementation of the ambitious reform programme set out in the Government's policy document, An Action Programme for Effective Local Government. It is appropriate that this be reflected in the Title of the Bill.

Amendments Nos. 2 to 6, inclusive, also amend section 1 which, in addition to the Short Title, sets out the collective citations for the various legislative codes referenced in the Bill. As a result of the numerous consequential amendments to the Acts in question provided for in the Schedules, the citations in a number of areas need to be updated.

The citations in a number of areas need to be updated. Amendments Nos. 2 to 5, inclusive, provide for the necessary changes in this regard. Section 1 also provides for the standard commencement provisions in subsection (8) and amendment No. 6 adds to these provisions which will commence on enactment to include Part 11, which deals with the local government fund and Irish Water and an amendment to the Dublin Docklands Development Authority Act 1997 provided for in Part 12. It is important that the local government fund provision is commenced as soon as possible to allow the Minister to make payments from the fund to Irish Water. This funding is required by Irish Water to make payments to local authorities for water services provided for under the service level agreements from January 2014.

The amendment in relation to the Dublin Docklands Development Authority is to provide legal certainty underpinning the fast-tracked planning process in the docklands area. Again, it is important this provision is commenced.