Services to be devolved to 5 centres

"One-stop shops" offering housing, education, economic and environmental services are to be set up in five locations around the State as part of a new Government drive towards devolution.

The Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Mr Dempsey, will oversee the pilot project, which was proposed in the second report of the Devolution Commission published yesterday. The five locations have yet to be named.

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said the Government has accepted the main recommendation of the report to put in place arrangements for local control of a range of functions now carried out at national level. Mr Ahern promised that proposals for local government reform would be set down in an "Action Programme for the Millennium".

The report points out that Ireland spends less on local government than any other EU state. It suggests devolution can be effectively delivered by grouping services for delivery at local level. Local social services, such as social welfare, housing, community health and education, would form one grouping. Other groupings would cover economic and development services, and environmental, infrastructural and transport services.

Mr Ahern said an implementation programme to be brought forward by Mr Dempsey would focus on:

removing the "democratic deficit" by restoring real power to locally elected members;

facilitating a new partnership with the community and voluntary sectors;

enhancing the concept of customer service in local government;

achieving value for money in local spending.