61. (1) The Minister may include, in a request to the Commission under section 32(2) of the Local Government Act 1991, a requirement that the Commission shall, when preparing the report under that section, have regard to such matters as may be specified by the Minister in the request and the Commission shall comply with any such requirement.

(2) The Minister shall, before specifying, under subsection (1), the matters to which the Commission shall have regard, prepare a draft of the request under the said section 32(2) of the Local Government Act 1991 and the draft request may only be sent to the Commission if it has been—

(a) laid before each House of the Oireachtas, and

(b) approved by resolution passed by each such House.

(3) The Commission may, for the purposes of a report referred to in subsection (1), by notice in writing, request any local authority to furnish to it such information (including documents) as it may reasonably require within such period as shall be specified in the notice and the local authority shall comply with the request.