Local Democracy Taskforce a significant step to delivering reform
- Foilsithe: 26 Meitheamh 2025
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 26 Meitheamh 2025
Minister Browne and Minister of State Cummins attend first meeting of body examining how to improve the local government sector
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD and Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, John Cummins TD attended the first meeting of the Local Democracy Taskforce today.
The Local Democracy Taskforce, established to make recommendations to reform and strengthen local government, held its first meeting today in the Custom House.
The Taskforce, chaired by Jim Breslin, will examine the structure, functions, governance, and funding of local authorities and enhancing the role and powers of elected councillors.
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD welcomed the establishment of the taskforce saying:
“Our Local Government is essential to our democracy as a country. It must be robust, it must be supported, and it should be representative of our communities. It’s essential that the structures of our local government are strengthened.
“The establishment of the Taskforce is a significant step along the path to delivering important reform in the local government sector. The Terms of Reference for the Taskforce, agreed by Government, set out an ambitious programme.
“I wish all the members well in the task they have taken on, it will be work that will stand to every single county in the coming years.”
Minister Cummins said he was pleased to see the Taskforce, which was established by the Government on the 4th June – holding its first meeting with a second meeting planned for next month.
Minister Cummins said:
“We recognise the importance of strengthening and reforming our democracy at local level to ensure councillors have the powers and resources needed to and deliver for the people who have elected them.
“While the Taskforce will benefit from the work that has already been undertaken by Association of Irish Local Government, Local Authorities Members Association the Seanad Consultation Committee and EU monitoring group, there is a significant body of work to be undertaken.
“This includes examining the rebalancing of power between elected councillors and the Executive, devolving more decision-making powers to councillors; as well as providing councillors with enhanced data and greater input over the local authority budget, among many other things.
“I look forward to receiving the recommendations of the Taskforce in 6-9 months.”
The Taskforce’s work will be organised into four key pillars of structure, finance, functions and governance/ accountability, with Councillors’ powers being considered under each pillar.
The Taskforce will consider the principle of subsidiarity and examine the possibility of devolving more decision-making powers to Councillors. The Taskforce will also examine how to strengthen the framework and powers of Municipal Districts and Area Committees.
The Terms of Reference for the Taskforce set out that the Taskforce will also consider the proportion of local authority members to population and examine how to deliver greater diversity of representation.
The Taskforce will have strong input from the Local Government sector and will be comprised of Local Authority elected member representative bodies, Local Authority executive representatives, the National Oversight and Audit Commission, the Local Government Management Agency, the Local Government Audit Service, the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage, as well as a number of independent experts.
Jim Breslin is former Secretary General of the Departments of Children, Health and Further and Higher Education.
ENDS
Notes
Programme for Government Commitment:
The Programme for Government states that this Taskforce will bring forward proposals which the Government will consider, with a particular focus on:
- The principle of subsidiarity.
- Increasing the range of reserved functions and consideration of devolving more powers to local authorities for local services.
- Granting councillors greater input and control over the development and implementation of the local authority budget.
- Rebalancing power between elected councillors and executive officers, to ensure that elected officials have a right to be consulted on a greater range of decisions and the right to know of all other decisions in a timely manner.
- Increasing the accountability of the Chief Executive and Directors of Services to councillors for executive decisions.
- Enhancing fiscal autonomy.
- The timely reporting of the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) and engagement with public representatives.
- The proportion of local authority members to population.
- Strengthening the framework and powers of Municipal Districts and Area Committees.
- Support frameworks for Councillors to carry out their duties drawing from the Moorhead report.
Taskforce Terms of Reference:
A copy of the agreed Terms of Reference for the Taskforce are available here on the Taskforce webpage.
Further information on the background to the Taskforce, the substantial existing body of work informing the Terms of Reference is available on the Taskforce webpage.
Taskforce Membership:
The Members of the Local Democracy Taskforce are:
- Mr Jim Breslin, Taskforce Chairperson
- Cllr. Kieran O’Hanlon, (Limerick City and County Council) (President AILG)
- Cllr. Jimmy McClearn, (Galway County Council) (Vice President AILG)
- Cllr. Anne Colgan, (AILG) (Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council)
- Cllr Damien Ryan (LAMA Chairperson) (Mayo County Council)
- Cllr Brian Lawlor (LAMA General Secretary) (South Dublin County Council)
- Ms Niamh Larkin / Mr. Daragh McMahon, Local Government Audit Service
- Ms. Fiona Quinn, Assistant Secretary, Dept of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
- Mr Michael McCarthy, National Oversight and Audit Commission Chairperson (NOAC)
- Mr. Paddy Mahon, Chief Executive, Longford County Council, (County and City Management Association)
- Ms. AnnMarie Farrelly, Chief Executive, Fingal County Council, (County and City Management Association)
- Ms. Pauline Mulligan, Chief Executive, LGMA
- Dr. Bríd Quinn, Ireland’s representative on the Council of Europe’s CLRAE Group of Independent Experts and ex-University of Limerick Department of Politics & Public Administration
- Dr. Philip Byrne, ex-Institute of Public Administration, Chair of Cork County Council and Wicklow County Council Audit Committees
