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

Amendment No. 30 addresses an omission in the published Bill. It proposes that section 45 of the Local Government Act 2001, relating to the attendance of the media and the public at local authority meetings, shall not apply in the case of local community development committees. Although LCDCs will be local authority committees, their role and functions will differ considerably from those of other local authority committees. A significant element of LCDC work will be the consideration of funding applications. This work will involve confidential and commercially sensitive matters, which it would not be appropriate to discuss in the presence of the media and public.

Amendment No. 33 proposes to include youth organisations within the meaning of representatives of community interest set out in the Bill. Specific provision for youth organisations reflects the Government and EU priority of focusing on supports for young people, particularly in the area of training, upskilling and employment supports.