Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he is considering amending the Local Government Act 2001 to allow for towns with a population of less than 7,500 to have their own elected town councils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11028/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Local Government Act 2001 was designed to modernise the legislative framework, support community involvement with local authorities in a more participative local democracy and underpin generally the programme of local government renewal, including the position of county and city councils as the primary units of local government. The Act takes account of the recommendations of the 1996 Report of the Reorganisation Commission Towards Cohesive Local Government — Town and County regarding improved accessibility, interaction and linkages for non-local authority towns within county council areas.

The reorganisation commission's report noted the existence, due to historical circumstance, of town local authorities in a number of small towns. However, the commission's report stated that the existence of town authorities in small towns is not in itself a premise on which to base a case for the creation of new authorities in all or any other towns of that size. The reorganisation commission's report recommended that only towns with a population of 7,500 or over be eligible for consideration for the creation of a new town council, having concluded that the widespread creation of new town authorities was neither warranted nor feasible. In line with this, section 185 of the 2001 Act provides, inter alia, that qualified electors of a town having a population of at least 7,500 as ascertained at the last preceding census or such other figure as the Minister may from time to time prescribe by regulations and not having a town council may make a proposal for the establishment of such a council.