Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 1116: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will confirm that special consideration is being given to granting city status to Tallaght, Dublin 24; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20001/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Local Government Act 2001 modernises the local government legislative framework and consolidates the position of county and city councils as the primary units of local government. Under the Act, there are 29 county councils, including South Dublin County Council, and 5 city councils, each of which is responsible for the widest range of local authority functions in their respective areas.

In accordance with the Programme for Government, my Department will be publishing a Green Paper on local government reform in the coming months. The Green Paper will examine a number of issues with the objective of making local government more transparent and responsive, and will set out options for reform in advance of a subsequent White Paper. This process presents an opportunity to strengthen local authority structures nationally. However, I have no plans to re-designate South Dublin County Council as a city council, or to establish Tallaght as a separate city authority.