COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 11, 2008

HEADED ITEM NO. 15

ELECTORAL AREA BOUNDARY COMMITTEE CONSULTATION

Members will be aware that John Gormley TD, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, recently announced the establishment of two committees (Dublin and Cities Committee   &   Committee for Rest of the Country) to review local electoral areas. The committees will report to the Minister by June 20 2008.  

The review of electoral areas is needed as a result of major population changes since the last review in 1998. The first committee will review the electoral divisions in Dublin and other major population centres including Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. The second will review other local authorities, primarily county councils.  

The committees’ reports will be considered as the basis for a revision of the local electoral areas for use at the local elections to be held in 2009.  

The committees will not make any changes to existing boundaries of any council and will not be able to alter the number of councillors in local authority areas. However, they will be empowered to review seat distribution within local authorities and to recommend the transfer of seats from one ward or electoral area to another, where there have been population shifts. They will also have the power to make recommendations for revising the geographical boundaries of wards and electoral areas within a local authority area.  

The attached correspondence indicates that a public consultation process has been initiated.  Submissions and observations are being sought from respective Local Authorities to be received by the Committee on / before 14th March 2008.

The Manager is favourable to facilitating the members in the drafting of a submission on behalf of South Dublin County Council and the holding of a special OP&F Meeting to consider the issue if so desired by the members.   Members are also at liberty to make individual submissions to the Committee.

In the context of the review recently initiated by the Minister, South Dublin County Council has initiated its own comparision of population changes within Electoral Divisions and Electroal Areas since 1998 and will keep the members fully advised of its findings in this regard.