Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 578: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the options, in view of the recent Green Paper, available to groups seeking to establish a town council (details supplied) in order to progress matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17442/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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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 moves to establish a new town council cannot proceed.

The Green Paper, Stronger Local Democracy — Options for Change, contains a chapter on town local government which acknowledges both the positive role played by town councils and the difficulties which can confront such councils seeking to perform the complex social, environmental and infrastructural functions required of modern local government. My goal is to strike an appropriate balance between the maximisation of efficiencies and the democratic legitimacy provided by town councils; Stronger Local Democracy concludes that the establishment of new town councils would need careful consideration having regard to the potential impact on resources and efficient service delivery.

Stronger Local Democracy represents the initial phase of a transparent, inclusive policy formulation process. The purpose is not to arrive at a single solution, but to present options for further consideration. It is my objective that a broad and lively debate on the future of local government will now take place. I look forward to receiving the views of all concerned, including those groups seeking to establish a town council, to help inform the preparation of the White Paper. I will give consideration to those parts of the 2001 Act which have not yet been commenced, including Part 17 of the 2001 Act, as part of the reform process.

Details of how to contribute to the consultation process are available on my Department's website. I also intend to hold a number of regional seminars in the coming weeks in order to gather as full a range of perspectives as possible.