Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the recent financial appraisal of Sligo County Council carried out by consultants Grant Thornton confirms that Sligo County Council is experiencing an increased deficit of substantial amounts year on year and that Sligo Borough Council is balancing its budget; if his further attention has been drawn to the fact that the elected members of Sligo Borough Council have refused to accept recommendations to borrow millions of euro for various projects which the county manager was promoting; if is attention has been drawn to the fact that elected members of Sligo Borough Council are opposed to a merger of the borough council with the county council; if he will ensure that a merger does not take place and that the finances and resources of the borough council remain under the control of the borough council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45503/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the financial positions of both Sligo County and Sligo Borough Councils. The recommendations of the consultants engaged by Sligo County Council are currently being considered in my Department.

A detailed policy statement for the reform of local government, Action Programme for Effective Local Government, was published on 16 October following Government approval. The programme sets out, inter alia, policy decisions for a new model of municipal governance including a comprehensive territorial reconfiguration of each county into municipal districts based generally around principal towns. The areas of municipal districts will be drawn up, on the basis of appropriate criteria, for the purposes of the 2014 local elections and following a review of local electoral areas by an independent statutory boundary committee.