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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 Jun 1999

Vol. 505 No. 6

Other Questions. - Administration of Local Authorities.

Nora Owen

Question:

22 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the measures, if any, in place to modernise the administration of local authorities in ways analogous to the strategic management initiative in the Civil Service; the progress made to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14443/99]

There is a substantial programme in the course of implementation designed to improve all aspects of the functioning of local government. In March 1996 the strategic management initiative was launched in local government. Since then, all the major local authorities have prepared SMI statements setting out their missions, goals and objectives. I intend to have a fresh set of these statements submitted to the new councils within six months of their election and the Local Government Bill will provide for this.

Side by side with this, a major programme of renewal is under way to facilitate and reinforce strategic management in local authorities. This includes expanding the sphere of influence of local government into wider public services and community development; within the system, achieving a better balance between the political and management systems; developing an element of participatory democracy alongside representative democracy; strengthening management structures; providing an adequate resource platform; developing efficiencies in the system; and developing customer service.

Has every local authority submitted a statement along the lines indicated and, if not, why not? In line with the practice adopted in Departments and semi-State agencies, will the Minister consider encouraging or requiring local authorities to adopt a charter of rights for the citizens that would set out the rights of the citizen in relation to the local authority and the duties and obligations of the local authority towards the citizen?

All local authorities have produced strategy statements. It is my intention that new statements will be prepared after the forthcoming election to the new councils and that the members of the new councils will have a chance to discuss that within a six month period. I am sure the Deputy has perused our policy document in great detail for the local elections. We have included the provision for a charter for citizens in that document.

Given the Minister's recent record on policy documents, I am not inclined to pay much attention to it.

The Deputy cogged enough of it.

The Minister should not talk about cogging.

Is the Minister satisfied with the quality of service provided to the public by local authorities and with the standard of management of local authorities generally?

I am reluctant to make any wild or sweeping statements on that. I would not try to improve both those areas if I was satisfied with them. Local authorities need to improve their customer service. That is why we are talking about decentralising service delivery, which is already under way in a number of local authorities. The concept of the one-stop-shop and of local authorities getting involved in local development groups through the new county development boards is designed to get local authorities back to the local communities.

As in all organisations, there are some excellent managers and others not so excellent. My desire is to try to improve the quality of the service provided by local authorities to customers and to try to encourage and foster ideas and centres of excellence in local government. Many individual local authorities deliver services of excellent quality and standard and other local authorities could learn from them.

Would it be a good idea for local authorities to carry out efficiency and value for money audits as this would be the best way to establish the type of service consumers are getting? Is the Minister aware that such a proposal was rejected by Dublin Corporation when it was first proposed by the Green Party?

It is part of the programme for Government. It was also part of the previous Government's programme. My predecessor introduced and passed the Local Government (Financial Provisions) Act, 1997, which provided for changes to the audit system. Financial management in local authorities is being improved and enhanced by the development of new financial management systems which incorporate accrual accounting, improved costing of services, enhanced accounting for fixed assets and a review of the concept of value for money functions of the Department and local authorities. We are introducing an accounting code of practice and developing a series of performance indicators for local authorities in various areas. That agenda is continuing and is being put in place on an incremental basis.

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