Local Government System in Ireland Former Custom House, Dublin, Seat of the Ministry for Environment, Community and Local Government. 2012

Ireland: Basic Facts Population: 4.6 million Capital: Dublin / Baile Átha Cliath (1.2 million) Surface Area: 70,208 km2 Population Density: 65 person / km2 GDP / Capita: €29,959 Public Finance Deficit: 90%+ of GDP Currency: Euro Main Exports: PharmaChem, ICT & Software, Food Products. Language: Irish (official) English (most widely spoken)

Since the partition of the island in 1921, Ireland (Éire) shares a border with Northern Ireland (UK). The Belfast / Good Friday Agreement of 1998 has been endorsed by the peoples of both jurisdictions. This guarantees the current constitutional status of Northern Ireland and has established a devolved administration for Northern Ireland and north – south collaborative bodies.

Context: Political Declaration of Independence, Secured Status of ‘Free State,’ Current Constitution, Formally Declared a Republic, Joined EU, The flag of Ireland / Éire is green white and orange. Green represents Nationalism. Orange represents Unionism. White represents peace between both political traditions. The flag is modelled on the French tricolour.

Context: Institutional Constitutional Status: Parliamentary Republic. Head of State: President (7 year term). Parliament: Bicameral (max. term of 5 years): – Upper House elected by sectoral interests – Lower House universal franchise Centralised State – limited local self-government. Áras an Uachtaráin, Official Residence of the President Interior of Dáil Éireann, Lower House of the Irish Parliament (Oireachtas Éireann).

Local Government – Historical Evolution 1889: Local Government Structures Established. 1994: Regional Tier Established. 1998: Ireland signs European Charter on Local Self- Government. 1999: Official Constitutional Recognition of Local Tier of Government 2001: New Planning Competencies Current reform agenda.

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Cliquez pour éditer le format du plan de texte Second niveau de plan  Troisième niveau de plan Quatrième niveau de plan  Cinquièm e niveau de plan  Sixième niveau de plan  Septième niveau de plan  Huitième niveau de plan Neuvième niveau de planClick to edit Master text styles – Second level Third level – Fourth level » Fifth level Ireland – Territorial System: Regions Newest Tier of Local Government EU Influence Comprised of groupings of counties Main Functions to promote the co-ordination of public services at regional level, to prepare Regional Planning Guidelines and review regional development needs. to encourage county and city compliance with regional priorities.

Cliquez pour éditer le format du plan de texte Second niveau de plan  Troisième niveau de plan Quatrième niveau de plan  Cinquièm e niveau de plan  Sixième niveau de plan  Septième niveau de plan  Huitième niveau de plan Neuvième niveau de planClick to edit Master text styles – Second level Third level – Fourth level » Fifth level Ireland – Territorial System: Regional Assembly Areas Two regional assembly areas: – Objective 1 in transition (2000 – 2006 ) South and East Regional Assembly Area - S & E – Objective 1 (2000 – 2006) Border, Midlands, West Regional Assembly Area - BMW – Note: these NUTS 2 regions which are made up of a number of regional authority areas do not constitute regional governments Main Functions to promote balanced regional development to monitor and co-ordinate spatial planning

AuthorityNo. MembersMandateGeographical RemitFunctional RemitCentral Government Interface Regional Assembly 26 appointed by City and Council Councils 5 yearsBMW (Border, Midland and Western) Region, 13 Counties qualifying for Objective I status to 2006 S&E (Southern and Eastern) Region- non Objective I. Monitoring of Regional Programmes under the National Development Plan Dept. of Finance and DoECLG Regional Authority appointed by City and Council Councils 5 years3 to 5 local authority areas (combined City and County Council areas). Formulation and monitoring of regional planning guidelines and overseeing aspects of National Spatial Strategy DoECLG County Council Typically 25, elected. Range from 21 to 48 5 yearsFull County, including areas covered by Town Councils. Local Service Provision Spatial Planning DoECLG City Council Cork 31, Dublin 52, Galway 15, Limerick 17 Waterford 15. All elected councillors 5 yearsWithin City Boundaries only. Problem has arisen of areas being under- bounded, most notably Limerick, and Waterford. These cities, and Galway applied to government for boundary extensions. Local Service Provision Spatial Planning DoECLG Town Council 9 elected councillors, with the exceptions of Bray, Dundalk and Tralee, with 12 councillors 5 yearsWithin Town Boundaries only. Urban sprawl in many towns has meant that many town councils have no jurisdiction in their suburbs/ urban fringe. Local Service Provision Spatial Planning DoECLG SPCs (Strategic Policy Committees) Range from 10 to 20, with a majority made up of elected councillors, and the others drawn from statutory bodies, social partners, local dev. and civil society. Begin c. One month after election of Local Authority Same as its Parent (City / County) Council. One of: Planning and Economic Development, Environmental Protection and Waste Management, Arts and Culture, Housing, Infrastructure (or other priority areas as defined by the Council) DoECLG City / County Development Boards Range from 25 to 35, with broadly similar numbers from local government, statutory bodies, social partners, local development and civil society As aboveCouncil Boundaries.Community and Enterprise Development Co-Ordination and Monitoring of agency-inputs into, and delivery of an agreed, multi-sectoral strategy for the council area. Various DoECLG = Department (i.e. Ministry) of Environment, Community and Local Government

Key Legislative Framework 1898 Local Gov. (Ireland) Act 1925 Local Government Act 1963Planning Act 1982 / 83 / 92Planning Acts 1991 / 93 / 94Local Government Acts 1997 European Charter for Local Self-Government 1999Constitutional Recognition (Article 28A) 2000Planning and Dev. Act (amended 2002) 2001Local Government Act 2010Planning and Development Act (amended)

Source: Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.

Electoral Geography at County Level For electoral purposes, Counties are sub-divided into 3 – 8 districts (depending on demographics). These are known as ‘Electoral Areas.’ Citizens in each ‘Electoral Area’ elect 3 – 8 councillors, who then form the County / City Council. The following maps (next slides) illustrate the Electoral Areas in Limerick County (pop. 130,000) and Limerick City (pop. 60,000). All EU citizens resident in Ireland may vote in local elections.

There are 28 members on the Council - 7 members in the Bruff and Castelconnell Electoral Areas, 5 members in the Newcastle and Rathkeale Electoral Areas and 4 members in the Kilmallock Electoral Area. Council Meetings are normally held on the fourth Monday of each month(except August when there is no meeting) in the Council Chamber at County Hall. ) Election of Members to Limerick County Council

Local Electoral Areas in Limerick City 6 Members (Limerick North) 4 Members (Limerick East) 7 Members (Limerick South)

Structure of Local Authorities Cathaoirleach / Mayor (1 year term) Elected Members (5 year term) County / City Manager Directors of Services x 6 – 8 Officials Citizens directly elect Reserved FunctionsExecutive Functions

Local Government: Functions The principal services provided by the local authorities comprise: – Housing and building – Road transportation and safety – Water supply and sewerage – Planning – Environmental protection – Recreation and amenities, and – to a very limited extent agriculture, education, health and welfare. Local authorities have no role in policing, public transport or personal social services.

Functional Remit Housing and Building Provision, Enforcement, Traveler Acc., Social Road Transportation & Safety Construction, Improvement, Maintenance, Lighting, Traffic Management, Taxation, Licensing, Signage. Water Supply and Sewerage Public & Group Schemes, Public Toilets Development Incentives and Control Physical Planning Policy, Building – where and how, Industrial Promotion, Urban / Village Renewal

Environmental Protection waste management, burial grounds, safety of structures, fire prevention, pollution and litter control Recreation & Amenity Pools, Libraries, Parks, Art galleries, Museums, Monuments (some) Agriculture, Education, Health, Welfare VECs, Third Level Grants (used to appoint to Health Boards) Miscellaneous Services Rate Collection, Elections, Coroners & Inquests, Consumer Protection, Abattoirs, Dog Control.

Functions Taken from Local Authorities Health (Boards) since 2003 School Attendance County Committee for Agriculture National Roads’ Projects

 Rates on commercial and industrial buildings  Income from goods and services (Housing Rents, planning fees etc.)  Exchequer grants  Internal capital grants (sale of houses and land)  Borrowing Sources of Finance

. CountryPop.Number of relevant local councils Average population per council Average size of council Population per elected councillor France59.6 million 36,7001, Austria8.2 million 2,3503, Sweden8.8 million 31028,400111*256 Germany83 million15,3005, Finland5.2 million 45211, Italy57.7 million 8,1007, Spain40 million8,1004, Belgium10.3 million 58917, Greece10.6 million ,300101,075 Denmark5.4 million 27519,600171,115 Portugal10.1 million 30832,800291,131 Netherlands16 million54829,000191,555 Ireland3.8 million 11833,000142,336 United Kingdom 59.6 million ,350492,603 Council, Councillor & Citizen Relationships in Selected EU States

Examples of EU Legislation bearing on Local Government Urban Waste Water Directive Landfill Directive Public Procurement Directives Working Time Directive Environmental Impact Assessment Directives Water Framework Directive Health and Safety Legislation Recycling Targets Habitats’ Directive ©2008 Marble Arch Caves Global Leopard

EU Funding Structural and Cohesion Funds ERDF and ESF Culture of Monitoring and Evaluation Better Planning Project Delivery

EU-Led Institutional Reforms  Environmental Protection Agency  Regional Authorities  Regional Assemblies  Local Development Initiatives

Extract from 2010 Green Paper on Local Government Reform

Local Elections 2009 Results Percentage of the First Preference Vote obtained by Parties in each County Fine Gael (Christian Democrats) is the dominant political party in Irish Local Government km N

Women are grossly under- represented in Local Council Chambers km N

Irish Local Government in Context  Limited tradition of Local Self Government  High degree of centralisation and Control by Central Government  Large local authorities (av. Pop 36,100)  Single Tier – with fledgling regional tier  Limited Functions and Competencies  Inflexible County Delineations and Structures.  Anticipated Reforms in Planning and Directly Elected Mayors.  Property Tax / Service Charge being introduced.  Possible reforms to create sub-county structures.

Institutional Framework of Irish Local Government System Domiciliary Irish and EU Citizens (aged 18 years and over) Citizens in Urban Areas (excl. City Council Areas) All Citizens 29 County Councils with between 21 and 48 members* 5 City Councils (Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway) with between 15 and 52 members Council Mayor (formerly known as Cathaoirleach) * Most County Councils have between 23 and 28 members. Co. Cork, the largest county in Ireland has 48. The second largest council is Clare, with 32 members. 5 Borough Councils each with 12 members Mayor 75 Town Councils most with 9 members each Elected by PRSTV for 5 year term Elected by PRSTV for 5 year term 26 member Regional Assemblies For 2 ‘super regions’ 9 Regional Authorities Nominate Appoint Nominees to Vocational Education Committees Harbour Commissioners Regional Tourism Authorities City and County Enterprise Boards LEADER and Urban Partnerships National-level Bodies Civil Society Strategic Policy Committees City / County Dev. Boards Arts’ Council An Bórd Pleanala (Planning Appeals) An Comhairle Leabharlanna (Libraries’ Board) Environmental Protection Agency Fire Services’ Council Housing Finance Agency Local Government Services’ Boards National Building Agency National Roads Authority Local-level Bodies Mayor Childcare Committees