Local government - Loss of role in planning is inevitable

Environment Minister Phil Hogan will announce a root-and-branch reshaping of local government today.

His proposals have been described as the deepest reform of our local authorities and how they interact with local politicians since the system was established in 1898.

Though the reforms are more important by far, it is vital too that this Government, as the Croke Park deal’s pay-and-redundancies veto becomes ever more contentious and unsustainable, begins to accelerate the pace of reform.