A major overhaul of local authorities, including more responsibility for members - who will in future receive payment - directly-elected mayors and a greater involvement of local communities in development issues, are included in a local government reform Bill.
The Minister, Mr Dempsey, has said he would like to have it published before the election on June 11th, and indicated that he wants a major overhaul to modernise the county council system.
Mr Dempsey, who has on several recent occasions pointed out that 1999 marks the centenary of local government, has already introduced a "scrappage scheme" for members, aimed at introducing new blood to the membership of local authorities.
He has also widened the funding arrangements which allow the local authorities to keep motor-tax receipts by adding to it a fund of £270 million for discretionary spending.
From June 11th the councillors will also be paid a salary, although Mr Dempsey has warned them they should not hope to get rich on it. The balance of power between local authority management and elected members will also be tilted more in favour of the members.
Tallying with his wish that local authorities increasingly involve their communities in their decision-making process, the Minister has said members are to be more accountable.
One way this might happen is through the Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs), which will set policy in crucial areas, including planning. The SPCs have a wider membership than the council and can co-opt un-elected members from specialist backgrounds.
Thus, members of community councils and other action groups can be invited to sit on the strategic planning committee while hoteliers, for example, can be invited to advise on tourism policy.
A separate Bill expected by the autumn will simplify a number of EU directives and planning codes, not least the EU Directive on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), and will impact heavily on planning authorities' operations.
Developments over a certain threshold are to automatically require an EIA, and the new planning code will insist that social and spatial considerations also be addressed.
In theory, this should require developers of large housing schemes to indicate where the residents will attend schools, shop and use public transport, among other things.
Similarly, developers of industrial land will have to indicate the effect of traffic and waste on the local community, as well as championing the jobs provided.
Another important change, on which the electorate will also vote on June 11th, is the constitutional amendment to ensure that local government elections are held at least every five years.
It is eight years since the last county council elections, and there was once a gap of nine years between urban council elections.
"There has been much criticism in the past because successive governments of all parties and shades postpone local elections. When this is passed they will not be able to do so," the Minister, speaking on RTE Radio, said yesterday.
Mr Dempsey is also expected to make an order this summer to set up the two new authorities, the Border Midlands and Western Region and the Southern and Eastern Region.
These assemblies are intended to oversee regional development, particularly the share-out of EU Community Support Framework (CSF) funds. However, the Minister has yet to indicate where these bodies will sit and what their structures will be.