Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 25: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the date on which he will introduce a local government reform package; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24094/11]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 32: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is committed to publishing the White Paper on local government; when he expects this to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24086/11]

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures he plans to use to modernise local government that are underway in parallel with the efficiency local government review group's recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24092/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 32 and 40 together.

The Programme for Government, sets out a number of key objectives in relation to local government including reorganisation of structures to allow for greater decision making at local level; alignment of community and enterprise functions with the local government system; implementation of the shared services agenda in order to deliver efficiencies; and an examination of funding arrangements. In addition, the recommendations contained in the Report of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group provide important input to consideration of options for expenditure reduction, revenue raising, efficiency and other policy developments.

A range of work relevant to this agenda is under way or in planning and significant progress has been made.

In relation to structural and other reform, the Government announced on 28 June 2011 that the main recommendations of the Limerick Local Government Committee, involving the creation of a single local authority to replace Limerick County and City Councils, would be implemented. A group to drive this process has been appointed and their work to oversee planning, preparatory work and initial implementation of the reorganisation process is underway.

More recently, additional measures aimed at strengthening local government have been announced, including the establishment of a unified county council in Tipperary to replace North and South Tipperary County Councils and the intention to initiate a review to consider whether the creation of a unified authority in Waterford would be desirable. Implementation arrangements will be established shortly for Tipperary and I will also be announcing details of the Local Government Committee to examine local government in Waterford.

I intend to bring recommendations to Government for more comprehensive policy decisions on local government structures at regional, city and county and sub-county level. I am also considering wider proposals to renew and develop the local government system in line with the Government's programme and building on relevant research and analysis already undertaken in this area.

In relation to the efficiency report, I have established an independent Implementation Group to drive forward relevant recommendations in areas such as shared services, procurement, value for money and audit. I have asked the Group to build on the extensive efficiencies that have been achieved by local authorities in the past two years and to focus on key recommendations that will remove costs and yield earliest financial savings for the benefit of the sector and the economy. The Group will report to me at regular intervals, with its first report due shortly. Also, a review of staffing levels in Dublin City Council has recently been completed and has identified a number of options for staffing reductions in the Council over the period to the end of 2014. Specific measures to modernise local government are underway in parallel with the Efficiency Review Group's recommendations. These include implementation of the programme for Public Service Review and the Public Service Agreement (PSA) in local authorities in areas such as shared services, HR, ICT and procurement. Reports on progress and savings under the Local Government Sectoral Action Plan of the PSA were made to the Implementation Body in May 2011. The Programme for Government also reflects the need, in the context of the State's overall financial position, to put the funding of locally delivered services on a sound financial footing, improve accountability and better align the cost of providing services with the demand for such services. In this regard, I have announced the introduction of a household charge in 2012 in line with the requirements of the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland.

Options for the greater alignment of community and enterprise functions with the local government system, in accordance with the Programme for Government, are also under consideration in my Department.