Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 128: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to revise the local authority boundaries in view of the 2011 census, and also in view of his announcement to amalgamate a number of local authorities across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33577/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Unlike for Dáil constituencies, there are no constitutional or statutory requirements in relation to the frequency of local electoral area boundary reviews. The most recent reviews of local electoral areas were carried out in 1998 and 2008. The June 2009 local elections took place on the basis of the local electoral areas enacted following the 2008 review.

The next local elections are due to take place in 2014. I will give consideration to the need for a review of local electoral areas in the light of the final results from Census 2011 which are due in Spring 2012 and which will give clear information on population change in local electoral areas.

Other relevant factors, including the report of the Constituency Commission established in July 2011 to review Dáil and European Parliament constituencies and any related subsequent decisions of the Oireachtas, will also be taken into account.

The new unified local authorities in Limerick and Tipperary will give rise to a review of the local electoral areas in these counties. These reviews will be carried out on the basis of the final population figures for Census 2011. The new local electoral areas in Limerick and Tipperary will be in place for the local elections to be held in 2014.