BILLED as a "major programme for the renewal of local government", the overhaul agreed by Cabinet yesterday is being viewed as radical by local councillors, though its effects cannot be judged for some time.
It lays down an agenda for change, beginning in the new year, which purports to strengthen the decision-making powers of councillors within the local government system, "moving their role closer to the Cabinet system operating at central government level".
Even Opposition politicians last night welcomed the proposals for strengthening local democracy, widening the role of local government, improving services and giving value for money.
However, most of the media's attention at yesterday's press conference to unveil the programme focused on the abolition of water and sewerage charges that fund local government, rather than on organisational changes. Domestic water and sewerage charges will be dropped from the beginning of next month but refuse charges remain.
Confirming that the new funding system would be introduced from January 1st, 1997, the Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin, conceded that "serious difficulties" had existed over service charges.
While central government would continue to set the rates for motor tax, county and city authorities would have the power from 1998 to vary the national rates.
This "variation" cannot exceed 6 per cent and will be limited to a maximum of 3 per cent in 1998.
Targets are also to be set for local authorities to reduce and eliminate their financial deficits.
However, the Opposition has reacted warily to proposals which would allow for "a discretionary local contribution for a defined period towards specific developmental projects or programmes".
The programme has also outlined proposals that the Dublin and Mid-East regional authorities draw up land use planning guidelines for the greater Dublin area, "which will have to be respected by the local authorities in the area when considering development plans". This will be extended to other areas "as necessary".
Local government law is also to be "consolidated and modernised".
The Fianna Fail spokesman on local government, Mr Noel Dempsey, said that all the elements dealing with improving local democracy and widening the role of local authorities "are positive and good".
"The Minister will certainly have Fianna Fail's support for the enhancement of local government as outlined by Mr Howlin," Mr Dempsey said.
However, there were areas in which the Minister had not gone far enough, he added. These concerned the role of councillors, particularly the functions of the chairman. The Minister had also failed to claw back the absolute power of the county and city manager.
"There is a democratic deficit in the system, in so far as managers do not just execute policy but also initiate it. This has not been dealt with," Mr Dempsey said.
The main measures of the programme include an enhanced role for councillors "in the strategic management of their councils".
This is to be achieved through the mechanism of Strategic Policy Committees, based on the main services of the council, to be established in county and city areas as well as the larger urban authorities.
Local interests - industry, farmers, voluntary organisations, environmentalists - are to be represented on these Strategic Policy Committees. The chairpersons of these committees, along with the chairpersons of the councils, will form "a corporate policy group to focus on the policy role of councillors.
A new management tier is to be created in local authorities with clear responsibility for individual programmes and for taking a leading role in servicing the Strategic Policy Committees.
This move has, however, been criticised by the Opposition on the grounds that it produces another layer of bureaucracy.