Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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I want to raise an issue I raised previously regarding the need for the Minister with responsibility for local government to outline his proposals to review the local government boundaries in light of the upcoming local elections in 2019. The review of local government boundaries is an issue we have discussed and it has been on the agenda since the previous report in 2013. That report unfortunately initiated a change in boundaries resulting in some constituencies increasing to ten seats, which has had a major knock on effect on local government. None of us in this Chamber or in public life realistically sees the advantage in constituencies increasing to ten seats, given what that can mean in geographical terms with local electoral constituencies in, for example, south Kerry or west Cork stretching to 110 to 120 miles. It does not make sense. A review of the criteria in terms of the geographical nature of these constituencies is important.

We have seen that local government is the heart of Ireland and local government is about knowing one's local representatives. If a person lives in a constituency that stretches to 100 miles, the chances of him or her knowing the local representatives or the representatives knowing that person are very limited.

That criteria used for local government reviews needs to be examined. Traditionally, we have used a system of district electoral divisions, DEDs. It does not make sense to use criteria that are more than 100 years old and up to 120 years old. These mapping districts need to be reviewed. Ireland has moved on. It does not make sense that we as a progressive State would return to boundaries that were set more than 100 years ago.

I will give an example of the unbelievable way in which constituencies have been divided. The town of Carrigaline in Cork, with a population of more than 15,000 people and a river flowing through the centre of it, was divided between two electoral districts. One half of the town became part of the Ballincollig-Carrigaline area, which became a ten-seat constituency, and other half became part of the Kinsale-Bandon area, which became a five-seat constituency. It does not make sene to divide towns on the basis of those electoral districts. Electoral districts need to be inclusive in nature and an electoral area needs to include both halves of a town such as Carrigaline and its hinterland to promote better local government. Unfortunately, if we fall back to using these old maps and do not move on from maps that are more than 100 years old, we will not move on when it comes to representation of local government. The report relating to current boundaries was published on 30 May 2013. This did not give public representatives, the public and executives in local authorities enough time to prepare for a local election that was held 12 months later. There is an anomaly in the system. The European election boundaries have already been set for 2019. The MEPs know their constituencies. They know exactly where they are running and the public knows the constituencies as they are laid out in law. They were laid out on 27 June 2017 but the process of laying out new local election boundaries has not even commenced. This is a major problem for the executives, the public and the councillors who want to serve these people. There are 918 councillors who are waiting for a local government review of the boundaries and for the Minister to press the button and set the criteria. There are many things at stake. Criteria are very important. We have seen how bad criteria have led to bad decisions. We need appropriate criteria and an appropriate timescale. I look forward to the Minister of State's response because we need to address this issue. The public needs local government and at the moment, the word "local" is missing in these very large constituencies.

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for raising this matter. As someone who was once a councillor, looking at the previous divisions, I echo the Senator's concerns. I keep in touch with councillors of all colours to hear their concerns. It would be hoped that all their concerns would be reflected in any review. I apologise for the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, who has budgetary matters to attend to this morning and who asked me to come in his place.

A Programme for a Partnership Government sets out a number of commitments relating to local government reform to ensure that local government funding, structures and responsibilities strengthen local democracy into the future. In particular, the programme includes a commitment to consider reducing the size of local electoral areas. In this context, the preparatory work in support of a review of local electoral areas is being advanced in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. It is intended that the review will be initiated shortly and will be completed in good time before the 2019 local elections.

In contrast to the position for Dáil constituencies, there are no constitutional or statutory requirements relating to the frequency of local electoral area reviews. Nevertheless, provision is made in section 23 of the Local Government Act 2001 for the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to divide each county, city or city and county into local electoral areas and to amend those areas as may be considered necessary. However, changes to local electoral areas may only be carried out following the completion of a review by an independent boundary committee established under section 28 of the Local Government Act 1991. The Minister must have regard to the report of a boundary committee before deciding on whether to make an order amending local electoral areas. The terms of reference for a boundary committee are set by the Minister of the day. The most recent review of local electoral areas was carried out from November 2012 to May 2013 by a boundary committee in advance of the 2014 local elections. Local electoral area reviews were also carried out by boundary committees in 2008, 1998 and 1985. In broad terms, previous reviews of local electoral areas had regard to a wide range of factors, including the emerging needs of society, population change and demographics as well as the policy considerations of the day.

In accordance with the programme for a partnership Government, the Department is currently preparing a comprehensive report for Government and the Oireachtas on potential measures to boost local government leadership and accountability, which is important for any politician. This report will comprise a number of papers which will cover a broad range of issues on the local government reform agenda. The Minister is aware that concerns have been raised by a number of local authority members across different local authorities and by the Association of Irish Local Government relating to the territorial size and configuration of some of the local electoral areas specified following the last boundary review. The demands on councillors in territorially large local electoral areas are greater than those in more compact areas even when member-to-population ratios are broadly similar. This can arise due to distance, travel time and the difficulty in keeping abreast of local issues. A further concern which has been raised is that there has been a loss of focus on some large urban centres by virtue of their inclusion in territorially large local electoral areas. To address these concerns, it is proposed that the review of local electoral areas will be given priority ahead of the broader report to Government and the Oireachtas on local government reform. In this regard, it is anticipated that the review of local electoral areas will be initiated shortly and will be completed well in advance of the 2019 local elections, so the Senator and other Senators can carry that message back to county councillors in Cork and elsewhere. This will be done and councillors and local authorities will have plenty of advance notice.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Perhaps Senator Lombard might have greater ambitions. Does the Senator wish to comment briefly?

Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response. In many ways, I am just trying to ensure it is on the agenda and I am very happy that it is. I look forward to the Minister publishing the terms of reference for the commission. The idea of electoral districts has not served us well. Population changes have brought about major changes in areas. We need to look at a different way of doing things. These electoral districts work in some areas but they obviously do not work in all.

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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I again thank Senator Lombard. There are two huge areas in my county of Clare, one of which encompasses nearly 100 miles in the west Clare-north Clare area. It is very hard for any councillor to cover an area like that and they do lose touch, so I agree with what the Senator is saying. It is a matter for the boundary committee and the Minister but I thank the Senator for raising the issue, which is important and will be addressed.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Perhaps a bit of common sense will apply. An example of the point Senator Lombard is making is the Beara Peninsula which was represented by two councillors in my time and one Deputy, Deputy Noel Harrington, up until recently. A person living in Bere Island now has to get a boat to shore and then travel 35 miles to meet their first public representative. There is no logic in that. I am out of that scene but I just mentioned it to make a comment, which I rarely do, in support of Senator Lombard.