Dáil debates

Tuesday, 15 January 2019

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee Report

5:40 pm

Photo of John Paul PhelanJohn Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Section 22(a) of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended by section 19 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, provides for the naming of municipal districts, including the naming of certain municipal districts containing the administrative areas of former boroughs.

In December 2017 the Department established two local electoral area boundary review committees. The terms of reference of committee No. 1, which dealt with Wicklow, included a requirement that "each town which was formerly a borough or the population of which within the county ... is equal to or greater than 30,000 shall be designated as a distinct Municipal Borough District".

Statutory instruments for former boroughs have now been developed to achieve this designation. While it was initially intended that towns with populations greater than 30,000 would also be designated as municipal borough districts, it is not possible to do so in the absence of an underpinning amendment to primary legislation, which will be addressed this year. Notwithstanding this, the creation of local electoral areas and municipal districts around large towns provides an urban focus and strengthens town representation at plenary level within those local authorities.

The relevant orders to give effect to the committees' recommendations will shortly be laid before the Houses. The municipal districts specified in the orders will apply to the newly formed councils after the 2019 local elections.

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