Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 390: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm if he intends to merge county development boards into their local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14070/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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There is a range of initiatives currently in development with implications for the local government sector, arising, inter alia, from, the recent announcement of the establishment of Local Enterprise Offices, and the work of the Steering Group that I established on alignment between local government and local development.

The Alignment Steering Group presented its Interim Report to me in December 2011. It outlined some preliminary conclusions in regard to the existing arrangements and the respective roles of local authorities and local development programmes and structures. I anticipate receiving the Steering Group's final report shortly. I will consider the Group's recommendations carefully in determining the future development structures and arrangements I believe will deliver the greatest benefits for the citizen.