asked the Minister for Local Government whether it is legally permissible for local authorities to admit members of the public to their meetings; if so, whether, in the case where they have not hitherto been admitted to such meetings, it is permissible for the chairman of the authority to rule out of order any motion suggesting that the public should in future be admitted; and whether he will make a statement as to the rights of the local authority members to decide democratically whether members of the public should be admitted to their meetings.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Admission of Public to Local Authority Meetings.
53.
It is legally permissible for local authorities to admit members of the public to their meetings. The question is, however, one for the local authority itself to decide. As regards the second part of the question, the chairman, in ruling on the admissibility of a particular motion, would have to be guided by the standing orders of the local authority. I have no power to decide on the validity of any such ruling. My answer to the first part of the question also answers the third part.
May I take it, therefore, that if in circumstances mentioned in the question, the chairman refuses to take a notice of motion to the effect that members of the public be admitted, the validity of his decision not to accept the motion can be challenged only through the usual legal machinery, and that the Minister has no function or power to interfere or direct?
That is right. I have no power to interfere or direct.
Action, therefore, must be taken by the interested people.
It is difficult to talk intelligently on a matter on which I know nothing. As to whether this particular case arose, or the circumstances which surrounded it, I am at a complete disadvantage.
I do not think the Minister need have a specific example. If the chairman refuses to take a notice of motion to the effect that the public should be admitted to meetings of local authorities, that is clear enough.
If it has not happened——
It has happened.
That is my difficulty. I do not know about it.
If I give the Minister an example, does he think he has any power to interfere?
It would help if I knew a little more about it.
It happened in Dundalk.