Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 311: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the procedures for the appointment of county managers and their removal from office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31207/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The procedures for the appointment of county and city managers and their removal from employment are set out in Part 14 of the Local Government Act 2001. Recruitment to such posts is carried out by open competition conducted by the Public Appointments Service which recommends a person for appointment as manager to the relevant council. The appointment of a manager by a county or city council, following a recommendation by the service, is a reserved function. Where on the expiration of three months after the date of the recommendation, the person recommended is not appointed and is still available for appointment, the appointment becomes automatic.

The elected council of a county or a city may by resolution suspend or remove from employment the county or city manager for stated misbehaviour or if his or her suspension or removal appears to them to be necessary for the effective performance of the functions of the council. Where such a resolution is proposed, the procedures to be followed by the relevant council are set out in section 146 of the Act of 2001. However, a county or city manager may not be removed without the sanction of the Minister who may appoint an independent panel of three persons to consider the removal, to recommend whether the Minister should give sanction to such removal and to make any such other recommendations, if any, as the panel may consider appropriate.