1. Local Government Reform-No future for Town Councils? Dr. Seán Ó’Riordáin Director, Public Policy Advisors Network www.seanoriordain.ie

2. Citizen

3. Family and friends Citizen

4. Communities of place and interest Family and Friends Citizen

5. Local-regional- national- international Communities of place and interest Family and Friends Citizen

6. How we organise ourselves (1) 15 Government Departments 124 State Companies 200 plus arm’s length agencies 1National Police Force 1 Defence Force Decentralised Education System A National Health System Disaggregated local framework

7. How we organise ourselves (2) Statutory Local Government  80 Town/Borough Councils  34 County/City Councils  34 County/City Development Boards  8 Regional Authorities  2 Regional Assemblies Local Administration  60 plus Area based Initiatives  52 Local Development Companies  33 County/City Childcare Committees  35 County/City Enterprise Boards  32>16 VECs  5 Harbour Authorities

8. Citizen M aslow’s Needs Public Management

9. How we organise... How Specialisation Professionalization Mandates Political Direction Structures Horizontal Silos Layers of governance Local to regional to national to international

10. So what is needed? What? Service quality and citizen based service provision Participation and policy collaboration with internal stakeholders Participation and policy collaboration with external stakeholders Organisation of structure/Institution Spatial/territorial perspective Resourcing and appraisal How? More iterative co-governance Some applications in centralised governance Some in autonomous governance

11. Is this likely?

12. Suggestions on Town Government Reform Abolish Merge Renew

13. Why Abolish/Merge...? Against Savings limited Loss of local discretion Loss of local leadership Inability to influence decisions For Some Savings Greater professionalization Strengthen County leadership Ability to deliver more effective public services

14. Why Renew? Location based shared service platform Reduce distance between decisions and the citizen Enhanced taxation capacity Enhanced capability and democracy Greater capacity for participation/volunteerism Breaking down of barriers to entry to politics International Evidence

15. What is likely? Re-configuration of Town/Area Structures Limited underpinning of County/City Government Limited change on Regions No change on shared service platforms No change on governance integration Limited shift in local-centre linkages Continued policy disaggregation

16. So Death by a thousand cuts...?

17. ....or an unrivalled opportunity for our towns? Reinforced role in planning, housing, community and local development Re-orientation towards the urban centre and its role within the wider rural context Full country coverage which should complement EU Rural Policy Platform Re-ignition of the principles of local self government Potential to enhance local flexibility to confront on- going austerity Movement towards municipal government models across the EU