Leixlip town commission application
The Minister said the earlier application was refused because its proposed boundaries covered 2,600 acres, while the current proposal covers 650 and appears more realistic. He acknowledged Leixlip’s population exceeds that of some towns with councils but would not state whether he supported the application.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he is in a position to make a decision on the application to establish a town commission in Leixlip, County Kildare.
16.
Comment on this
asked the Minister for the Environment if he has received a formal application for the conferring of town commissioner status upon the town of Leixlip, County Kildare and, if so, when such an application was made, if he has satisfied himself with same and when he proposes to make an order confirming his approval of that application.
Comment on this
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 16 together.
Two applications have been made in the past two years by a number of residents of the Leixlip area to have Leixlip constituted as a town with town commissioners. The function of the Minister for the Environment in relation to such applications is to decide on the suitability of the town boundaries proposed and, if satisfied, to order the proposal to be adjudicated locally.
I conveyed a decision on the first of these applications in May 1978, judging the boundaries submitted in that application to be unsuitable. A further application was made in November 1978 and I hope to decide on it shortly.
Comment on this
I do not want to try to get the Minister to anticipate a decision, but could I ask him in a general way whether he is sympathetic to this application made by a community of over 7,000 people?
Comment on this
I would not like to answer that question at this stage, but there is a vast difference between the two applications. In the first application, which was refused, 2,600 acres were involved. This application is limited to 650 acres, so it would seem at least more realistic. With regard to saying that I am sympathetic or otherwise, the Deputy will realise that he should not expect me to say yes or no to that.
Comment on this
Perhaps it is not entirely fair, but could I ask the Minister at least to acknowledge here in the Dáil that the present population in the built-up Leixlip area exceeds greatly the population of several other Irish towns which have urban district councils, let alone town commissioners?