Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There is no logic to it. It takes in two local electoral areas which means two engineering divisions of Kildare County Council. It will mean having to deal with two local area engineers and two separate systems of administration of the county council. I know the Minister will make smart remarks in reply. This House needs to look at what is being proposed with regard to local government. I support the strong reform of local government which goes further than the Minister's proposals. However, without proper reform of local government and without trying to make some fist of aligning local authority boundaries with Dáil constituency boundaries, we will have an unsatisfactory system of national and local government.

A boundary commission is meeting today to decide the local government boundaries and the new municipal districts. However, there does not seem to be a connection between the work of the commission and this legislation. There is talk about joined-up government but this will not be possible without some coherence between the Dáil constituency boundaries and the local authority boundaries. I appeal to the Ministers opposite. I do not know if other parties disagree with me on this issue but I hope they do not. Sinn Féin has a strong view that there has to be some correlation between Dáil and local authority boundaries. I am aware we are not permitted to interfere with its work but perhaps the House could send a letter to the commission to reinforce the point that if possible it could arrange for some alignment of the two boundaries in its report which is due in May. It is hoped that when we deal with the next revision of Dáil constituency boundaries we will make a better fist of it.

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