Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Kelly, who sends his apologies for being unable to take this debate. I thank Deputy Fleming for the opportunity to update the House on this matter.

As Members are aware, on 19 June last, my colleague, the Minster for the Environment, Community and Local Government, announced the establishment of statutory committees to review local government boundaries in Athlone, Carlow, Drogheda and Waterford. In the case of Carlow, the committee has been asked to carry out a review of the boundary between County Carlow and County Laois and to make recommendations with respect to that boundary and any consequential recommendations to the area of the municipal district of Carlow that it considers to be necessary in the interests of effective and convenient local government.

The main rationale for undertaking the review of boundaries in Carlow is that there is a significant overspill of population into County Laois, based on the population figures taken from the 2011 census. The logic of a boundary alteration, if recommended, would be to bring the administrative jurisdictions into line with the current settlement and development position. Bringing an entire town or city within a single local authority area eliminates anomalies and distortions of divided administration, service provision, regulatory and enforcement responsibility and electoral representation, including problems such as competitive policies and practices between authorities in relation to planning, rating and charges, which can impact negatively on town centres. Differences in standards of service delivery can also be eliminated. It is also usual to extend the boundary to include not only existing development but an additional area to allow for future expansion and to avoid further boundary-related anomalies in the foreseeable future. Consolidation of administrative responsibility can also strengthen the economic performance of the town by eliminating the anomalies to which I have referred and ensuring that there is a single authority working on its behalf.

The committee has been established under section 28 of the Local Government Act 1991. Full details of the terms of reference and membership are available on the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government website. The Minister, Deputy Kelly, is delighted that people of such strong calibre and experience of local government were willing to come forward on a pro bonobasis and assist in settling administrative boundaries for this area.

I have noted the questions posed by the Deputy in relation to the terms of reference. I wish to assure him that I will raise them directly with the Minister on his behalf.

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