Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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319. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the updating of regulations to allow for plebiscites to change place names. [15988/22]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Provisions relating to placename changes in Part 18 of the amended Local Government Act 2001 were commenced in early 2019. Previous provisions under local government legislation were repealed. In addition, provisions in the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011, amending Part 18 of the 2001 Act, were commenced.

The newly commenced provisions under the amended Part 18 of the 2001 Act require updated Regulations to be made for the holding of plebiscites to change placenames.

However, in advance of making those Regulations, an issue has been identified concerning the interaction of the amended Part 18 of the Local Government Act 2001 and provisions contained in Official Languages legislation, under the aegis of the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

My officials are continuing to work with their counterparts in the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media with a view to resolving the issue identified. Once a policy approach and draft legislative amendments have been agreed, it is hoped to include them in an appropriate Bill at the earliest available opportunity.