Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is not the case on the ground and it is not what is being relayed to me by local authority members and constituents. The Minister spoke about the number of councillors per head of population being over 2,800. In Denmark, a country of a similar size, it is one councillor per 1,115. In County Offaly, two electoral areas were joined together, Birr and Ferbane. The new area has six councillors, five centred in Birr with the remaining large geographical area with only one councillor. That councillor has little hope when it comes to seeking the repatriation of funds for roads and services in that wide geographical area.

The block grants for towns and roads are no longer the case. Equalisation has not gone well in many cases. The Boundary Commission will report on foot of the new census. Will serious consideration be given then for an engagement or reinstatement of some county councils?

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