Dáil debates
Thursday, 19 October 2017
Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members]
1:25 pm
Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source
I move amendment No. 2:
To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following:
“notes the importance of local government structures in delivering services, acting as a forum for local democracy and representing local identity;
regrets:
— the abolition of town councils in 2014 and amalgamation of local authorities; and
— that Ireland has one of the highest proportion of citizens to local representatives in the world following the Putting People First reforms of 2014;
confirms that:
— local government structures, funding and responsibilities are explicitly recognised in the Confidence and Supply Arrangement; and
— the Programme for a Partnership Government committed to the publication of a report on local government reform by mid-2017; and
calls on the Government to:
— protect and enhance the core role that local government has in local service delivery and local democracy;
— expedite the passing of the Local Government Reform (Amendment) (Directly Elected Mayor of Dublin) Bill 2016 through the Oireachtas;
— re-establish town councils in appropriate urban areas;
— devolve new powers to local authorities;
— strengthen the hierarchy of plans from the National Planning Framework downwards and in tandem with other national development plans to ensure coherent spatial planning across the country; and
— complete processes currently underway in relation to local authority boundary changes and ensure local views are fully taken into account.
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