Two committees to review specific local electoral areas have been established by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey. They are due to report to him by July 1st.
The committees' reports will be considered as the basis for a revision of the local electoral areas for use at the local elections to be held in June 1999.
Mr Dempsey said that in addition to reviewing the position in relation to the ratio of population to elected member, the committees will also have the objective of drawing up, where possible, electoral areas which would, alone or in combination, have an urban or neighbourhood focal point and which would facilitate the decentralisation of local authority services to area level.
The Dublin electoral boundary committee, chaired by the Cork County Manager, Mr Noel Dillon, will report on the areas of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin county councils, and Dublin Corporation.
The second committee, chaired by a former Kerry county manager, Mr Paddy d'Arcy, will review electoral areas in counties and county boroughs outside Dublin, borough councils and Bray, Dundalk and Tralee urban districts.