James Heffernan (Labour)

I understand Senator Landy spoke about the amalgamation of North Tipperary and South Tipperary County Councils. I wish to raise some points about the amalgamation of Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council. There was division for a long time between city and county perspectives, with one side wanting a boundary extension and the other side favouring amalgamation. I praise the Department for driving the process of amalgamation. It is now in full swing in the county.

However, one of the queries I have received, and the Minister of State will have received it too, is from elected representatives, councillors, who have an eye on the next election and want to know where they will be standing for election. There is talk of super-electoral areas, taking in great swathes of County Limerick. Limerick is an unusual county. County towns such as Kilmallock, Rathkeale, Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale are big towns but they are not big enough to support town councils, such as exist in other counties. In County Cork, for example, the towns of Fermoy, Mitchelstown and Charleville, which border the Limerick area, support town councils. As a result, Limerick has 45 elected representatives covering the entire county and city. I appeal to the Department to keep that number of representatives in so far as possible as it is quite disproportionate to the number other counties have. Counties like Tipperary, Wexford and Donegal, for example, have up to 60 and 70 elected representatives between town councils and county councils. What changes does the Minister envisage in that regard and when can we expect those changes to be announced so the electorate can get used to their representatives if they have to move into new areas and so councillors and prospective candidates can know where they stand and what areas they must cover?

There was another query arising from the amalgamation of the city and town councils. It is the concern about cash flow and the money that can be raised. The county's rates are currently much lower than those collected in the city. I presume rates would have to be equalised with the amalgamation. That would leave a deficit of approximately €6 million per year, assuming the city rates were to decrease to the county rates. A number of businesses have made representations to me about rates and the burdens they impose. The shop owners in Kilmallock, the publicans in Croom and the small business owners in Bruff, for example, are put to the pin of their collars at present, so any increase in rates would hit them very hard. I presume, therefore, that if there is to be equalisation, the city's rates might come down to the county levels rather than the county rates having to increase to the city's levels. That would leave us with a deficit of approximately €6 million.

Last year there was a cut of €2 million in the local government grant to the county. Given the unique situation with the amalgamation, special treatment will be required and I appeal to the Minister of State to provide that, perhaps through the local government grant, for at least the next few years leading up to the amalgamation. Can the Minister give me any indications in that regard?