Hogan backs local reforms

Local boundary authority extensions will become less contentious as commercial rates between different local authorities become harmonised, Minister for the Environment and Local Government Phil Hogan has predicted.

Mr Hogan said bad planning had led to growing differences between local authority areas with development taking place right up to local authority boundaries which led to confrontation when one local authority sought a boundary extension.

“In fact, one of the problems in local government in relation to planning and development over the past few years has been the extent to which one local authority went up to the boundary of another in order to harness the potential for commercial rates of that authority.

“That was very bad planning and we are getting over that by this new system where we will be harmonising boundaries and there won’t be the same contention. There won’t be the same problems in relation to rate levels between counties.

“There will be no more debate . . . Over a period of time, we will have harmonisation of commercial rates which means that boundary extensions won’t be as important,” said Mr Hogan in response to questions regarding local government reform.

Asked about a planned extension of the Cork County Borough administered by Cork City Council into Cork County Council territory, Mr Hogan said he did not expect any meaningful progress to be made on that issue until after next year's local elections.

Under the local government reforms published last week by Mr Hogan, Cork City Council will retain its 31 councillors but Cork County Council will see its number of councillors increase from 48 to 55, mainly in commuter areas on the fringes of Cork city.

The Minister said he hoped to see the process finalised by the end of 2014.