Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 49: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps taken to resolve the Limerick city and county boundary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42828/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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To support the implementation of the 2007 report by Mr. John Fitzgerald entitled, Addressing Issues of Social Exclusion in Moyross and Other Disadvantaged Areas of Limerick City, I made an order extending the boundary of Limerick City Council in February 2008 which extended the city area by approximately one third. The new boundary became effective from 1 March 2008. The extension was supported by Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council. At the time I particularly welcomed the co-operation and agreement between the two councils on the issue.

The Green Paper on local government, Stronger Local Democracy - Options for Change, which I published in April 2008, raised the question as to whether change in local government arrangements was necessary in key locations, including Limerick, to drive regional development. The Green Paper noted that part of the challenge was to ensure local government would be capable of developing and facilitating the development of the gateways as envisaged by the national spatial strategy. It suggested a number of possible solutions in this regard.

Consensus has not emerged at local level on more substantial change to the Limerick city boundary, as sought by the city council. However, there is a need for much greater coherence in the governance of Limerick and my Department has been considering the issues involved in Limerick as part of the process of finalising the White Paper on local government. The renewed programme for Government is also relevant to this question. The programme commits to the provision of democratic leadership for regional authorities and the strengthening of their strategic role across a range of functions, in addition to their realignment to reflect the gateways in the national spatial strategy. These considerations lie at the heart of my thinking on local government. The Government is giving active consideration to a range of local government issues, including how best to provide for the optimal arrangements for the governance of Limerick. I hope to make an announcement in this regard in the near future.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I note the Minister in reply to this and previous questions has moved away substantially from local government and devolution since the local elections. I wonder why. Regional authorities, gateway status and other buzzwords are coming to the fore in his language. This issue boils down to finance between Limerick city and county local authorities and how such an issue can be overcome within a county. Does the Minister agree it is better to achieve consensus on the financial package to compensate local authorities within a county? Does he also agree it is not appropriate without consensus to cross a boundary into another county, as was the case in Limerick and south Kilkenny in recent times?

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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And Roscommon.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Deputy Hogan is aware that I referred to that issue when I visited Kilkenny recently. These are sensitive issues, which is why it took so long to approve the boundary extension which I announced in March 2008. The Deputy's analysis is correct in that much of this comes down to the rates base. Cities are the driving force in developing local government and regions, as recognised in all the international literature. Strong cities must be developed. I agree with that point of view.

The metropolitan area of Limerick is governed by three separate local authorities. Many have acknowledged that this has led to incoherence in gateway leadership and regional planning. This has produced a weak regional planning framework, resulting in significant downstream opportunity costs, competition between local authorities to attract commercial retail development, resulting in inappropriate developments, as is clear from visiting the city, and relationships between local authorities that do not demonstrate the desired level of co-operation and mutual understanding to the detriment of the region as a whole. An interim report of the mid-west task force also stated we needed to address this issue as a matter of urgency. Limerick is a special case, which is why we need to address it.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Are other boundary requests before the Department? Has the Minister received a request for a boundary extension from Cork City Council? If so, what is its status?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I had an opportunity to visit Cork last Friday and Saturday and speak to the city manager. No such request has been received in my office. It would be a difficult issue to resolve. The short answer is no.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Does the Minister agree it is necessary to appoint an officer from his Department to meet representatives of the local authorities in the Limerick region to advance the issue of city and county boundaries to create the necessary climate to secure agreement on the financial package that would allow a boundary extension and more co-ordinated planning?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The interim report of the mid-west task force made a number of recommendations, including the setting up of a committee to examine boundary extensions. I will examine that proposal in detail and hope I can make an announcement on it in the near future.