Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The reason I ask this question is that Cork County Council is one of the many local authorities that have received quite substantial communications from the OPR in recent weeks. I am looking for clarification in this regard. The Minister of State said the office's responsibility is to issue advice to the Minister and so on. The report that was issued by the OPR in the case of Cork County Council included a number of recommendations, with the chief executive alleging there are clear breaches of the relevant legislative provisions of the national and regional policy framework and-or the policy of Government as set out in ministerial guidelines under section 28 of the Act. He went on to say there is a requirement to implement the recommendations he is advising. In the context of the OPR's obligation to issue advice to and inform the Minister, the chief executive, in his communication, has identified clear breaches and highlighted the requirement to implement those recommendations. Will the Minister of State clarify whether those recommendations are advisory or if there is a requirement to implement them?

See this speech in context