Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On that note, the programme for Government contains an important commitment on local government. The programme states:

As part of the next wave of local government reform the relevant Minister, having consulted widely with all relevant stakeholders, will prepare a report for Government, and for the Oireachtas, by mid-2017 on potential measures to boost local government leadership and accountability.

This report has not been published but reports at the weekend suggest that the Government is considering establishing town districts, as Deputy Howlin said, to compensate for the abolition of town councils in 2013. It seems that the proposal arises from a report submitted to Cabinet last week by the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Phelan. Will the Taoiseach indicate whether this is the report that was promised in A Programme for a Partnership Government? If it is, why has it not been made available to the Oireachtas? Can the Taoiseach please make arrangements for Members to see the report?

The programme for Government also contains a range of other commitments on political reform, such as those relating to Ministers of State playing a more substantive role in policy formation and the re-examination of their functions within departmental structures and their relationship with Cabinet Ministers. The programme for Government also contains a commitment to examine the creation of unpaid roles of parliamentary private secretaries and, crucially, an examination of the balance of power and responsibility between Government and the Civil Service - a matter that looms large at present. None of these has happened. Can the Taoiseach tell us why?

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