Athlone Boundary Review

Update: Local Oireachtas members to attend Athlone Boundary Review briefing – No change to Boundary

Athlone Boundary Review

Updated at 11pm: No change to Roscommon County Boundary according to leaked Athlone Boundary Review Briefing Document. Closer County cooperation recommended. More to follow

Original post at 11am

Local Oireachtas members have been asked to attend a briefing session in Leinster House on Thursday in advance of the publication of the Athlone Boundary Review Report.

This Sunday marks the 10 month wait since the deadline for public submissions to the Athlone Boundary Review Committee closed. The Committee had originally been given a deadline of March 31st to submit their report to the Minister but the deadline has been pushed back on numerous occasions since. It was finally handed over early last week.

Responding to a question in the Dáil last week from Eugene Murphy TD on the issue the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government Simon Coveney TD said “This is the first of four reports to be provided by independent statutory committees which have been conducting reviews of the local authority boundaries at Athlone, Carlow, Drogheda and Waterford. I intend to publish all of the reports, together if possible, once received, at an early date.”

Commenting on today’s news Michael Fitzmaurice TD said “The publication of this report has been delayed long enough and the people of Roscommon have made their feelings very clear on this issue. I have spoken about this matter many times in the past. There is no reason or appetite for any changes in the boundaries in South Roscommon and the massive public opposition is shared by myself and by all local Oireachtas members so the outcome of this commission should be very clear that there will be no change and nothing else will be acceptable” added Deputy Fitzmaurice.

The Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government have declined to comment further on the issue at this time.