Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 5:

In page 28, after line 36, to insert the following:

"19. (1) The Minister shall as soon as is practicable and in accordance with this Part establish an Advisory Panel on the Future Development of Local Government (in this Part referred to as the Panel).(2) Membership of the Panel shall comprise of three persons appointed by the Minister with the consent of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government.

(3) The Panel shall prepare and submit to the Minister not less than 1 year after the 2014 Establishment Day, and every second year hence, a report detailing—

(a) the effectiveness of the reforms made to Regional Authorities under this Act;

(b) the effectiveness of the reforms made to Local Authorities under this Act;

(c) the effectiveness of the reforms made to Municipal Districts under this Act;

(d) a review indicating the level of adherence in the State to each provision of the European Charter of Local Self Government done at Strasbourg on 15 October 1985, and what measures the Panel consider necessary to achieve the fullest adherence (ETS No. 122);

(e) the measures the Panel deems necessary to further devolve functions and powers to regional authorities from central government in the areas of—

(i) planning and development;

(ii) environmental protection;

(iii) sustainable economic growth;

(iv) transport provision, including roads and public transport;

(v) household, commercial and industrial waste;

(vi) public procurement;

(vii) renewable energy capacity;

(viii) social and community development;

(ix) education and training;

(x) culture and heritage;

(xi) parks and wildlife;

(f) the measures the Panel deems necessary to further devolve functions and powers to municipal district councils from local authorities in the areas of—

(i) planning and development;

(ii) environmental protection;

(iii) sustainable social and community development;

(iv) sustainable economic growth;

(v) energy microgeneration;

and all powers and functions referred to in Parts 1, 2 and 3 of Schedule 14A of the Principal Act;

(g) a review of the funds, assets and resources assigned to local government on a per capita basis for each Municipal District Council, Local Authority and Regional Authority.

(4) The Panel shall publish its report within 30 days of presenting it to the Minister and it shall be laid before Dáil Éireann by the Government forthwith.

(5) The Panel shall stand dissolved only with the consent of both Houses of the Oireachtas on the request of the Government.".

Again, we had a debate on Committee Stage on this issue. The basis of it is that many of the functions I have included here are contained in the European Charter of Local Self Government, to which we signed up. In essence, I was looking to connect the two. The Minister said he was sympathetic to some of the points I was making and I will reserve saying anything further until I hear what he has to say and respond to it rather than labouring the point because the Minister knows the issue I raised on Committee Stage.

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