Minister faces legal challenge on abolishing town councils

Environment Minister Phil Hogan’s proposal to abolish town councils is facing a legal challenge.

The Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland (AMAI) — the representative body for town councils — is considering such a move while an East Cork town council is poised to proceed with its own, independent challenge should the representative body fail to do so.

AMAI director Tom Ryan says the organisation is giving “serious consideration” to a legal challenge, with the matter set to be “decided by the members” at its conference in New Ross next month.