1843. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of municipal councils proposed for County Offaly under the Local Democracy Taskforce recommendations; whether any changes to existing municipal district boundaries are anticipated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58750/26]

The Local Democracy Taskforce Report was published, and its Implementation Plan launched, by Minister Cummins and I on 22 July 2026. The Implementation Plan, developed in response to the Local Democracy Taskforce report, sets out a comprehensive programme of reforms designed to strengthen local democracy, empower communities and enhance the role of elected Councillors across Ireland. These reforms include establishing municipal councils across all local authority areas with enhanced budgetary and decision-making powers. As set out in the Implementation Plan this will require legislative change so that municipal councils will be in place following the 2029 local elections.

Section 23 of the Local Government Act 2001 empowers the Minister to divide a local authority administrative area into local electoral areas by order and to determine the municipal districts within the administrative area by order. Each municipal district must consist of one or more than one local electoral area. The section also empowers the Minister to amend those orders. In advance of deciding to make an order under section 23 of the 2001 Act, the Minister must, in accordance with section 32(2) of the Local Government Act 1991, request An Coimisiún Toghcháin to prepare a report having regard to such matters as may be specified by the Minister.

Before making a request to An Coimisiún, section 61 of the Electoral Reform Act 2022 provides that the Minister shall lay a draft of the request before each House of the Oireachtas for approval by resolution by each House.

Following the completion of a review, the Minister must publish the report of An Coimisiún and must have regard to the report in deciding whether to make an order in relation to any amendment to local electoral area boundaries or municipal districts.

The current configuration of local electoral areas has applied since the 2019 local elections, and followed a review of local electoral area boundaries conducted in two parts, both published in 2018. Government has decided that local electoral areas will be reviewed based on population levels from the most recent Census in advance of the next Local Elections. I will commence the development of terms of reference for this review in the autumn.