John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That needs to be communicated to local authorities because there is real confusion out there. I and others are well aware of the changes that were put forward. For example, Bray has been split into two local electoral areas, two four-seaters, and people are aware of that. After that, however, they have not got a clue when it comes to municipal borough districts. As I said, senior management in Wicklow does not know whether it needs to go and get stationery or change the name over the door of the local authority office in Bray. These are small, simple things. The real crux of the question is when the legislation to underpin all this will come forward. Many of these towns, as I said, had previously been town councils, and with that came those additional funding streams and powers. The important thing is that people, local authorities and public representatives need to know. Can the Minister of State give a definite timeframe as to when this critical piece will be in place to give these areas, these municipal borough districts, the real teeth that, unfortunately, were taken away from them with the abolishment of town councils?

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