Republic of Ireland sees major overhaul of local government

A radical reform of local government has taken effect in the Republic of Ireland.

Its Local Government Act 2014 saw a new system of municipal districts begin on 1 June, replacing the 80 former town councils.

The Irish Government said this would mean less variation in the ratios of councillors to population across the country.

An anomaly that saw residents in many towns having votes for both town and county councillors was also ended.

Municipal districts include towns and their hinterlands, ending a situation in which for historical reasons some small places had a town council while larger ones did not.

A Government statement said the changes were also intended to “improve operational efficiency and value for money, with a single county-wide executive and operational structure.

“The municipal districts will be decision-making entities rather than corporate structures.”

The republic will also set up new regional assemblies, to deal with spatial and economic planning and manage EU funded programmes, replacing the eight regional authorities and two assemblies previously in operation.

There will also be stronger oversight of local authority performance, through a new and independent National Oversight and Audit Commission for Local Government.

Dublin will have a referendum later this year on whether to have an elected mayor.

The changes coincidentally came just as Northern Ireland’s local government reform saw it move from 26 council with limited powers to 11 with most of the functions of an English district.

These were elected by the single transferable vote on 22 May leaving no council under single party control, but with the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Fein the two largest across the province.

Mark Smulian