Local Government in Northern Ireland

Abstract

Local government is generally regarded as the bottom or lowest tier of multi-level governance at the sub-national level. With a traditional structure of a statutory elected political institution, it is a clearly recognisable level of governance. Northern Ireland has a long tradition of a local government system which continued to function when the devolved institutions were replaced by Direct Rule. However, an analysis of the structure and functions of the existing local government system in Northern Ireland indicates that it is a minimal system of local government. Even taking into account the reform of local government, which results in fewer councils and a small increase in functions, the local government system in Northern Ireland will be among the most limited in Europe. The system remains important for a number of reasons: as a training ground for politicians; as a location for developments in political power-sharing; as a source of local political lobbying; and as a point of access for the public. Local authorities are subject to a command and control model of supervision by government departments and have little local autonomy over policy or finance or staff appointments. Councillors at times may resist departmental demands but a localism agenda is not strongly supported in Northern Ireland and there are not so many examples of MLG 2 activity.