Malcolm Noonan (Green Party)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit.

Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting my Commencement matter. I welcome the Minister of State to the Seanad. It is always good to have a return visitor here in the Seanad and he is always very welcome.

This morning, I seek an update on the Government's response to the final report of the local democracy task force and particularly its recommendations around strengthening our local democracy and local government and reviewing or potentially revising the local electoral boundaries.

At the outset, I thank the councillors, including those from my own party, Fianna Fáil, and others, along with the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, and the Local Authorities Members Association, LAMA, under the chairmanship of Mr. Jim Breslin, who worked on and produced an excellent final local democracy task force report.

As the Fianna Fáil spokesperson on local government here in the Seanad, this is an issue I have raised previously with the Minister of State and other Ministers. I raise it not just because I am a spokesperson on local government but I am a former city councillor myself. I fully appreciate the value of local government and local democracy and how local communities really value their elected local representatives. It is really important that the Government responds constructively to the local democracy report.

Last year, we had statements on the task force and at that point, I highlighted the need for the Government to take actions to strengthen local democracy and ensure that local councils can effectively represent their communities and respond to their communities' needs. More recently, in March, I sought an update from the Minister on the progress of the task force report. I again urged the Government to take on board the recommendations. It was in March that the local democracy task force actually submitted or presented its final report to the Minister, Deputy James Browne. I know the Minister has been considering it with his officials.

However, councillors and councils right around the country - we have 31 local authorities - and the communities they serve are really anxious to hear a response from Government to that report. They are really engaged in their local communities and in local democracy. One issue that is of particular importance is the potential for the local boundary reviews. The local elections will obviously take place in 2029. Population growth and changing demographics mean that electoral areas must be reviewed and it is really important to ensure that there is fair and adequate representation. Every citizen's voice should carry equal weight, regardless of where he or she lives, so the boundary review is really important. It is also important for the communities because they want to know that their natural historic boundaries are going to be respected and protected.

I have a couple of questions for the Minister of State. What recommendations from the local democracy task force has the Government accepted? Is there going to be a review of the boundaries? How will that review take place? When will it take place? Has the Electoral Commission got the resources to undertake it and how are councillors and local communities going to be consulted on it? Our local democracy is of incredible importance. It is the part of government that is closest to the citizens and our communities and it is really important that there is transparency and clarity around this. I want a review or a response from the Government that is going to strengthen local government and local democracy, as well as empowering our elected representatives and our local communities. I look forward to the Minister of State's response.

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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At the outset, I thank Senator Fitzpatrick for raising this important issue this morning. I am acutely aware of the strong interest that exists within this House in matters relating to local government. Members have consistently demonstrated their commitment to strengthening local democracy and supporting local authorities in their vital role.

As Minister of State with responsibility for local government and a former councillor for many years, I greatly value and appreciate the ongoing advocacy and engagement that comes from all sides of this Chamber. I am conscious that the establishment of the local democracy task force was a key recommendation arising from the Seanad Public Consultation Committee's report on the future of local democracy, which was published last year. In that context, I welcome the opportunity to address the House and to provide an update on the progress made today in advancing that recommendation and strengthening local democracy more generally.

The local democracy task force was established in June of last year as a key commitment under the programme for Government, with a broad and ambitious mandate set out in its terms of reference. The work of the task force built on the substantial body of research and analysis already undertaken in this area, including the Seanad Public Consultation Committee's report on the future of local democracy and important contributions from the Association of Irish Local Government and the Council of Europe on the powers, function and responsibilities of local government. The task force was charged with delivering its report within the challenging timeframe of six to nine months. However, considerable preparatory work already completed across the sector provided a strong foundation and enabled that timeline to be achieved.

The task force, as the Senator rightly pointed out, was chaired by Mr. Jim Breslin, a distinguished former senior public servant. Its membership reflected a broad range of expertise and perspectives, including representatives of elected members, local authority executives, the National Oversight and Audit Commission, the Local Government Audit Service and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, as well as a number of independent experts. To ensure a structured and comprehensive examination of the issues, the task force was organised under four work themes: structures, funding, functions and governance and accountability within the local government sector. Dedicated pillar groups, comprising subject matter experts with extensive practical experience, provided detailed, evidence-based analysis that advised to inform the development of the task force recommendations.

In total, more than 50 individuals contributed to this work through the task force and its pillar groups. The task force itself met on nine occasions, while the pillar groups collectively met on more than 40 occasions, demonstrating a significant commitment of time and expertise. Meaningful stakeholder engagement was at the heart of the process. Engagement took place with a wide range of organisations and representative bodies, including employer and employee representatives, community and voluntary organisations, academic experts and other key stakeholders. The task force also invited submissions from political parties and the wider sector and it met with representatives of this House, resulting in a very strong level of participation and engagement. This extensive consultation process provides a strong basis for confidence that the recommendations reflect not only the views and experience of the local government sector itself but also those of communities, organisations and citizens who depend on local authorities for their everyday services.

The Senator specifically raised the matter of the boundary review. This was a matter that was considered as part of the local democracy task force. It was asked to take account of and consider options for a future framework for reviewing numbers and in doing so, to take account of significant population growth since 2014. As has been confirmed by the Minister, Deputy Browne and I on a number of occasions, that final report was submitted to us and we are carefully considering the recommendations, with the implementation at a very advanced stage and due to go before Government as soon as possible.

Malcolm Noonan (Green Party)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. We might get copies of the Minister of State's response. That would be useful for Senators.

Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response. It would be nice to have a copy of it; we will get it from the transcript. However, I have to say it is terribly disappointing. The Minister of State's response has essentially just described the process. We are all aware of the process. We are all very engaged in and understand how many people participated and contributed, and how many councillors and officials gave of their time, energy and talents to produce a report.

The Government has a very significant task and has an awful lot of demands on it.I urge the Minister of State to push the Government to respond meaningfully to our elected representatives and, most important, our local communities. Our local authorities, councillors and communities deserve it. They want to know what the Government's response is to this detailed, evidence-based, informed report. They also want to know what action the Government will take to support local communities, local democracy and our elected local representatives.

When it comes to the boundary review, I would appreciate if the Minister of State would ask the Electoral Commission to come back to us with a written report or statement on how it proposes to undertake the boundary reviews. We are very conscious it is not just a local electoral boundary review. There are potentially general election and European election boundary reviews. The Electoral Commission is doing fine work, but is it really set up to undertake three reviews in a short timeframe with all the other demands that are going on? It would be helpful to me and other Members if we could get such a statement from the Electoral Commission.

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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As Minister of State with responsibility for local government, I can assure the Senator that extensive work has been undertaken by officials in the Department since the task force presented its recommendations to the Minister, Deputy Browne, and me. As she can imagine, it is a very detailed report, for all of the reasons I set out in my initial response. As a result, we have to carefully examine all of those recommendations and put an effective implementation plan in place.

The boundary review element requires a Government decision, which is part of the local democracy task force report. That is being worked on, as I said. I assure the Senator that the Minister and I are determined to ensure that local democracy is strengthened, that the roles and responsibilities of councillors are enhanced and that they are able to effectively hold the Executive to account within the local authority system. That is the overall premise of the local democracy task force and the recommendations that have come out of it.

Communities receive about 1,000 services from local government and I am committed to ensuring that this next generation of reform will put local government in good stead, but we need to get it right. We need to consider the recommendations and it will need to go to the Government for a decision on it.