Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)

It was so long ago that the Green Paper was launched I cannot remember when. Much fanfare was given to it at the time but much has changed since then. There was a consultation period leading up to the publication of the Green Paper, of which the Minister has made much mention.

Since then the bord snip nua report has been published which had significant findings on the future of local government. What consideration has the Minister given to McCarthy's recommendations when drafting the White Paper?

My concern about the bord snip nua report is that reduction is not necessarily reform, although it has become a mantra in the public discourse. Ultimately, real reform would be of better service to the citizen.

On what date, even provisionally, will the Minister launch the White Paper? What input has the bord snip report had on it? Will it be issued in a draft form or eventually when we do get to see it, will it be finalised?

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