Local Government Act 2001

Local Government Act 2001
Oireachtas
  • AN ACT TO MAKE FURTHER AND BETTER PROVISION IN RELATION TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND, IN PARTICULAR, TO CONSOLIDATE WITH AMENDMENTS CERTAIN ENACTMENTS RELATING GENERALLY TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
CitationNo. 37 of 2001
Signed21 July 2001
CommencedVarious dates
Legislative history
Bill citationNo. 23 of 2000
Introduced byMinister for Environment and Local Government (Noel Dempsey)
Introduced4 May 2000
Amended by
Local Government Reform Act 2014

The Local Government Act 2001 (No. 37) was enacted by the Oireachtas on 21 July 2001 to reform local government in the Republic of Ireland. Most of the provisions of the Act came into operation on 1 January 2002. The act was a restatement and amendment of previous legislation, which was centred on the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898. The 2001 act remains in force, although significantly amended by the Local Government Reform Act 2014.

According to the explanatory memorandum issued before the passing of the Act, its purposes were to:

  • enhance the role of the elected member,
  • support community involvement with local authorities in a more participative local democracy,
  • modernise local government legislation, and provide the framework for new financial management systems and other procedures to promote efficiency and effectiveness,
  • underpin generally the programme of local government renewal.