An expert group has recommended the reintroduction of local councils across Ireland, 12 years after the previous town council system was dismantled. The Local Democracy Taskforce (LDT), commissioned by Minister for Housing James Browne, is expected to present its report with 79 recommendations to Cabinet shortly.
The proposed municipal councils would operate in all 31 local authority areas, including cities, with increased decision-making and budgetary powers. Unlike the old system, municipal councillors would not be separately elected; instead, county councillors would operate at a more local level, making decisions on local matters while continuing to decide on wider strategic county-wide issues at plenary level.
The taskforce explicitly rejected simply restoring the former town council model, calling that a retrogressive step that could undermine parity between rural and urban areas. The previous system, abolished by then environment minister Phil Hogan, had 774 town councillors across 80 town councils. The reform reduced the overall number of councillors in the State from 1,627 to 949.
The report also suggests new sources of income for councils, a small number of new devolved powers, and recommendations on increased representation, noting that the population has grown in the decade since Hogan's reforms were implemented. The Irish political system has long faced criticism for being overly centralised, with local authorities lacking revenue-raising powers or sufficient delegated functions.