Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 6 relates to section 1(21). It provides for section 51 to be commenced on enactment of the Bill. Amendment No. 99 amends section 51 and is required to provide a definitive legal basis for one local authority to carry out executive functions or back-office support services on behalf of one or more local authorities. The amendment will facilitate the implementation of Government policy for the implementation of shared services throughout the public sector. To give effect to the Government decision in the local authority sector a lead local authority model has been agreed whereby one local authority will deliver the shared service on behalf of all local authorities. Shared services should be a win-win situation for local authorities and the people since they reduce cost, improve services and increase standardisation while at the same time allowing local authorities to focus on core citizen-facing activities, for example, the recent decision on payroll and superannuation shared services to be delivered by Laois County Council with an estimated saving of €4.3 million per annum.