Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he plans to bring forward proposals for local government reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10214/09]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he will publish the White Paper on Local Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10169/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 74 together.

I published the Green Paper, Stronger Local Democracy — Options for Change in April 2008. The Green Paper presents a set of options which share a common theme of strengthening local democratic leadership. For example, Stronger Local Democracy proposes a Regional Mayor for Dublin to meet the strategic challenges the city faces. The Paper also suggests that local leadership, accountability and connection with the citizen would be achieved through the provision of directly elected mayors with key powers of initiative in other areas. A suite of further proposals in relation to issues such as town government, participative democracy, regional governance, and service delivery are also included in the Green Paper.

Stronger Local Democracy represents the initial phase of a transparent, inclusive policy formulation process. Its purpose was not to arrive at a single solution, but to present options for further consideration. Following the publication of the Green Paper, my Department conducted a public consultation process to inform the preparation of the White Paper. The consultation process included a series of 6 regional seminars held over the summer, to gather as full a range of perspectives as possible.

I am currently finalising the content of the White Paper on local government, for Government consideration and subsequent publication; It is my intention to see a stronger, more vibrant and more accountable form of local government at the end of this process.