Gormley unveils review of local electoral areas

COUNCILLORS around the country could see their electoral areas substantially changed before next year’s local elections.

Local electoral areas, often referred to as wards, are to be reviewed because of population changes.

The review could result in the boundaries of certain electoral areas being redrawn.

Some areas could gain councillors while others could lose some.

Environment and Local Government Minister John Gormley announced the review yesterday, which will be carried out by two committees.

The first, entitled the Dublin and Cities Committee, will examine the areas of Dublin city, Cork city, Galway city, Limerick city, Waterford city, and Dún-Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin county councils.

The second, entitled the Committee for Rest of the Country, will report on local electoral boundaries elsewhere.

The committees have been asked to report by June 20.

“A review of electoral areas is needed due to population changes since the last review in 1998,” said Mr Gormley. “The committees’ reports will be considered as the basis for a revision of the local electoral areas for use at the local elections to be held in 2009.”

Both committees will be chaired by Niall Callan, a former secretary-general of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

The committees have been told that the total number of councillors in each authority will not change. Instead, the committees will have to decide whether each electoral area in a local authority has a fair share of councillors.