Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he expects the Green Paper on local government reform to be published; if he expects the deadline given in the programme for Government of 14 December 2007 to be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28678/07]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the status of applications made by towns for town council status in view of the present examination of local government being carried out by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28680/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 80 together.

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. Issues to be considered in the Green Paper will include the establishment of town councils in those towns that have shown significant population growth in recent years. Work on the Green Paper should be finalised by the end of the year, with a White Paper to follow next year.

The provisions for the establishment of new town councils are contained in Part 17 of the Local Government Act 2001. However, these provisions have not been commenced and in these circumstances formal applications for new town councils cannot arise. I will give consideration to those parts of the 2001 Act which have not yet been commenced as part of the reform process.