Fianna Fáil TD Eugene Murphy has confirmed that he is set to move a Bill which seeks to amend the Local Government Act in a bid to tackle the ongoing uncertainties over the Monksland boundary issue.
Eugene Murphy says that he had been working with the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on the Monksland boundary issue for some time and he has confirmed that he will move a Bill in relation to the Monksland issue in the coming weeks.
“This is an issue which is of the utmost importance and one which is firmly on my radar- The Bill will come before the Dáil in the coming weeks and there will be an opportunity for all public representatives and members of the Save Roscommon group to attend the introduction of the Bill in Leinster House if they so wish. I gave a firm commitment prior to election on behalf of the Fianna Fáil party in relation to the Monksland boundary issue and I am honouring that commitment 100%,” said Deputy Murphy.
“Unless a number of stipulations from the boundary report are adhered to then the controversial boundary changes could still go ahead in four years’ time.
Let nobody be fooled this matter has been framed in such a way which could very well lead to an annexation of the Monksland area in four years’ time,” said Deputy Murphy.
The Bill is an Act to amend the Local Government Act 1991 to ensure that the county status of a community shall not be altered without the explicit consent of the majority of its electorate. The Bill would not allow a county boundary to be altered unless a binding plebiscite was held in the area affected by such an alteration.
Deputy Murphy has already sought permission from the Ceann Comhairle’s office to move this Bill and a copy of the Bill has also been lodged with the Bills Office in Deputy Murphy’s name and it is expected to come before the Dáil in the coming weeks.
“I am deeply concerned at the details of the boundary report which states that there must be a joint local area plan within 24 months, a joint retail strategy within 18 months and a service delivery analysis and plan within 9 months while the implementation of these service delivery changes must take place within three years which really sounds like a veiled threat. This boundary report as it stands could be the death knell for Monksland and I am bringing forward this Bill to amend the Local Government Act in a bid to address this issue as a matter of urgency,” concluded Deputy Murphy.