Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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121. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans for lands (details supplied) in County Meath; when the Local Government Bill 2013 will be enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48538/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Government's Action Programme for Effective Local Government sets out Government policy decisions in relation to a range of local government reform measures, including the establishment of a new comprehensive model of municipal governance to strengthen local government within counties and to address weaknesses and anomalies in the current system. 

The Local Government Bill 2013 provides the legislative basis for many of the reforms set out in the Action Programme. The Bill provides that the local authority for a county will become the successor authority for all purposes where a town council is dissolved. It would therefore be a matter for Meath County Council in this case, as successor authority, to manage the lands and assets of the former town council. In response to a recent Seanad Adjournment Debate on this matter I undertook to consider any general issue arising, in the context of the Bill.

The Local Government Bill 2013 was published on 17 October 2013 and is currently at Second Stage in the Dáil. It is hoped that the Bill will be enacted during the current session, in good time for the 2014 local elections.