Overview Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Act 2024 gives effect to commitments made in the Programme for Government – Our Shared Future further to the outcome of the plebiscite in the administrative area of Limerick City and County Council, the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Act 2024 paves the way for the local electors in Limerick to vote for a directly elected Mayor who will […]
Plebiscites Part 6 of the 2024 Act deals with the holding of plebiscites to consider proposals by other local authorities to provide for a directly elected mayor of their administrative area. There is a process for initiating a proposal to hold a plebiscite, which can be in the following ways: The corporate policy group of a local authority submits a report to the elected council […]
Overview Corporations are legal bodies or artificial persons. They are legal persons established by law. Many bodies are not corporations and do not have separate corporate identity. Firms of partners and many associations do not have a separate legal existence. Prior to the Companies Act, there were limited means to establish a corporation. Statute or Royal Charter established their separate existence. Corporations may be divided […]
Grand Juries Counties are ancient divisions which date back to the 13th to 16th centuries. Originally, assizes were held on a regular basis, often quarterly, dealing with the adjudication of legal disputes. They sat as grand juries and were comprised of the local aristocracy and upper classes. They had a role both in the judicial and the early origins of the administrative and, in particular, […]
Early Reform The powers of the Local Government Board were transferred to the Department of Local Government in 1924. Another early pieces of legislation in the Free State reformed of the poor law system and placing t on a county wide basis. County Boards administered the new system. Rural District Councils were abolished by the Local Government Act 1925, which transferred their functions of the […]
The Local Government Acts provide that the primary function of the local authority is to provide a forum for democratic representation of the local community and to provide civil leadership for the community, carry out functions conferred on it by law and take such measures as are auxiliary to its functions and take such actions as it considers necessary or desirable to promote community interest. […]
Background Regional authorities do not play a significant role in Irish local government. Local authorities may and do form common bodies and committees to provide services on a joint basis. This occurs in relation to various functions, for example, library functions and formerly water and sanitary services functions. Formerly, local authorities played a much more significant role in the areas of agriculture, health, education and […]
Name Change There is provision for change of name of a town, townland or non-municipal town. There was a consultation procedure on behalf of the local authority or other authority. Certain bodies must be notified. Submissions must be requested and received. There is provision for final adoption of the proposal by the elected members. The consent of a majority of the electors in the areas […]
General Local authority powers are prescribed by law. The functions of local authorities derive from statute. Their authority and ability to spend monies are limited to those laid down by law. They do not have power to act outside of the functions and authorities conferred by law. Similar principles apply to private companies, but they have been heavily modified. In order to act in relation to […]
Powers to Make Local authorities have broad power to make byelaws in relation to their functions. They may regular matters in the interest of the community, provided it does not conflict with existing laws. As well as the general power to make by-laws, specific legislation grants local authority powers in relation to byelaws, for example, in the areas of road traffic and casual trading, amongst […]
Chief Executive of Council Each council is to have a chief executive. The existing county managers became chief executives unless they retired or resigned. References in existing legislation to county or city managers is to refer to chief executives. The functions of the county and city managers are transferred to the chief executive. The Chief executive is also the chief executive of every joint body whose […]
Regional Assembly Reform The Local Government Reform Act 2014 reforms the legislation in relation to Regional Assemblies. The Minister for Environment, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, may declare and establish regions and Regional Assemblies. The members consist of the members of every county council or city council within the relevant area in the region. Their functions are set out below or […]
2014 Act Reforms Part 7 of the 2014 Act provides for a range of changes in local authority governance arrangements. Elected members are given an enhanced policy making role. This applies in relation to a number of areas, including economic development and enterprise support, stronger oversight of powers and policy implementation with increased obligations on the executive, relative to the elected members. The office of […]
Reorganisation The Local Government Reform Act 2014 gave effect to the Fine Gael-Labour coalition’s program, Putting People First, published in October 2012. The program proposed a range of reforms to local governments including in relation to structures, funding, functions, governance and operational arrangements. The legislation prescribes the number of members of local authority. Cork County Council has 55 members, a number of other larger authorities […]