Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

721. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there are plans to reinstate the town councils to places such as Tralee, Killarney and Listowel in Kerry; if he will consider further towns for inclusion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46599/24]

Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

808. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to provide further details on the proposal contained in the programme for Government to “on a regional, phased basis, establish town councils in large towns to provide a focal-point for raising concerns of towns and coordinating town-focused activities”; if this could signal the return to town and borough councils with the powers they had before the Local Government Reform Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1709/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Local Government Reform Act 2014 dissolved 80 town councils which represented just 14% of the population. The previous town council system also led to duplication both in administrative and electoral terms. Instead, the Act saw the introduction of 95 municipal districts in 25 of the 31 local authorities at sub-county level, including in Kerry County Council, while area committees would operate in the 3 city authorities of Cork, Dublin and Galway, and the 3 Dublin county authorities.

Each municipal district can include several towns and their hinterlands, with local matters dealt with at municipal district level and wider strategic issues decided at county level. The result is an integrated administrative structure in each county which maximises operational efficiency while ensuring devolved decision-making throughout the county.

The Programme for Government 2025 - Securing Ireland’s Future contains a commitment to convene a ‘Local Democracy Taskforce’ with the local government sector to finalise a programme for the reform and strengthening of local government. The Taskforce will bring forward proposals, which the Government will consider, on issues including strengthening the framework and powers of municipal districts and area committees and the establishment of town councils in large towns, on a regional phased basis, to provide a focal-point for raising concerns of towns and coordinating town-focused activities.