Fianna Fáil TD for Roscommon-Galway Eugene Murphy is to move a Bill seeking to amend the Local Government Act, in a bid to tackle what he describes as “the ongoing uncertainties” over the Athlone boundary issue.
If passed, the Bill would ensure that the county status of a community could not be altered without the explicit consent of the majority of its electorate.
Deputy Murphy says he is deeply concerned and alarmed at the details of the report on the Athlone Boundary Review, published recently, which he claims could very well lead to Roscommon losing the Monksland area to Westmeath 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. 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.
His proposed Bill would prevent a county boundary being altered unless a binding plebiscite was held in the area affected by such an alteration.
“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 nine 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.
