Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 508: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will appoint a commission to review the local election boundaries in advance of the 2009 local elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21648/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Unlike for Dáil and European Parliament constituencies, there are no legal requirements in relation to the frequency of local electoral area reviews. The last review of local electoral areas was carried out in 1998; the next local elections are due to take place in 2009. I am at present considering the issues around a review of local electoral areas and I expect to be in a position to make a statement on the matter shortly.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 509: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if in view of the disparity that has developed in the population per councillor ratio in the three former constituencies of Dublin County Council, he will increase the number of councillors in Fingal and south Dublin County; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21650/07]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 510: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his legislative powers to vary the number of councillors in a council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21651/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 509 and 510 together.

Section 22 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides for the alteration of the number of members of a local authority; however this section has not been commenced to date. The Agreed Programme for Government contains a commitment to publish a Green Paper on Local Government Reform by the end of the year, which will examine a number of issues in relation to the organisation of Irish local government. A White Paper on Local Government Reform will then follow next year. I will give consideration to those parts of the Local Government Act 2001 which have not yet been commenced, including section 22, as part of this reform process.