Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 57: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will give city status to towns like Drogheda and Dundalk where there has been enormous growth in population since the last Census of Population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13439/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Local Government Act 2001 modernises the legislative framework, supports community involvement with local authorities in participative local democracy and underpins generally the programme of local government renewal including the position of county and city councils as the primary units of local government.

Under the Act, borough councils, such as Drogheda, and town councils which are former urban district councils, such as Dundalk, are responsible for a significant range of functions in their respective areas as well as contributing to local development in co-operation with their respective county council.

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 all boroughs and towns with their local county council areas as the way forward. A modernised legal framework and structures at both regional and local level are now in place and these provide the necessary powers and flexibility to local authorities to work in partnership to co-ordinate the provision of integrated public services. In these circumstances I have no proposals for amending legislation, which would be necessary to establish new city councils.