The number of councillors is to be almost halved, and all 80 town councils are being abolished under new measures published by the government.
The Environment Minister Phil Hogan said it was the most radical reform of local government in more than a hundred years.
Power will be transferred to municipal districts under the Local Government Bill.
President of the Association of Municipal authorities, Willie Callaghan says Minister Hogan's gone back on a promise he made two years ago to reform local councils;
