COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, March 11, 2013

QUESTION NO. 18

QUESTION: Councillor D. Looney

To ask the Manager to detail all official contact from and with the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, or his Department officials, on issues of local government reform relevant to South Dublin County Council following the publication of "Putting People First" in 2012, and to make a statement on the matter?

REPLY:

In the course of their normal duties most members of the senior management team in the Council would have continuous and multiple contacts with the staff of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government on issues which pertain to the Government's "Putting People First" policy.

While to date two circulars have been received  from the Minister and the Department, the first in relation to the formation of the Boundary Committee where submissions were sought on the proposals set out in 'Putting People First' for the re-configuration of local electoral areas.  A report was presented on this aspect to the January Council meeting which sought submissions from the Members and which culminated in the final submission (attached), which has been circulated to Members. To date, save for acknowledgement, no reply has been received from the Boundary Committee or the Department in respect of this submission.

The second circular was with regard to the Action Plan for Effective Local Government - Implementation, received from the Assistant Secretary with responsibility for Local Government.  It sets out a short overview and the processes for implementation of the Plan under the following headings:-

Our primary engagement, to date, has been via our submission to the Boundary Committee and we await details of the reporting arrangements on the local implementation of  'Putting People First' from the Department.