Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 January 2024
86. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage regarding the guidelines being formulated for the live streaming of council meetings, what, if any, progress has been made on this issue and when can local authorities expect to receive them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4516/24]
View answerSection 45(5) of the Local Government Act 2001 (as amended) provides that a local authority may, by standing orders, regulate the right of members of the public and members of the media to be present at meetings of the local authority. This provision includes the making, by standing orders, of rules in relation to the recording or relaying of the proceedings as they take place or at a later stage.
On the 30 October 2020, my Department issued Circular LG 07/2020, “Guidelines for supplementary standing orders regulating the proceedings in relation to remote meetings of the Council”, which references public attendance at such meetings.
It is ultimately a matter for the elected members of each local authority to decide in the first instance if they wish to webcast local authority meetings and then to provide for the necessary budgetary resources to enable the provision of the necessary facilities to allow for meetings to be webcast or live streamed.
The 2020 Independent Review of the Role and Remuneration of Local Authority Elected Members, led by Ms Sara Moorhead SC, identified a range of non-remunerative supports which would make the councillor role more sustainable, particularly for individuals with caring, employment or educational commitments. One recommendation centred on expanding technology to allow remote attendance at local authority council meetings, which would allow for more flexible participation.
In 2023, my Department launched a pilot scheme, offering financial supports to local authorities in order to provide for the running of hybrid meetings, including but not limited to the purchasing of the necessary hardware. Four proposals (from Cavan County Council, Monaghan County Council, Limerick City & County Council and Wicklow County Council) were approved for funding under the pilot scheme, with funding totalling €160,674 allocated in 2023. My Department is considering the feasibility of another scheme in 2024.
