JP Phelan is Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government with special responsibility for Local Government and Electoral Reform.
He is a Fine Gael TD for the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency and previously served as Councillor and Senator and was the Seanad Spokesperson on Finance as well as Enterprise, Trade and Employment. JP Phelan has spearheaded recent developments in Local Government reform, particularly the recent plebiscites on Directly Elected Mayors and upcoming plans to reform commercial rates legislation.