Fianna Fáil TD Eugene Murphy 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 said that he is deeply concerned and alarmed at the details of the Athlone Boundary Report which he claims could very well lead to an annexation of the Monksland area in the next four years.
“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 Fianna Fáil Deputy and a number of councillors from the South Roscommon area met with members of the Save Roscommon Group on Monday and Deputy Murphy informed the meeting that he is set to move a Bill in relation to the Monksland issue.
Aim of the Bill
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.
Eugene Murphy has this week 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.
“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.