Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 547: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if an assessment has or will be carried out on the extent to which section 142(5)([i]f[/i]) of the Local Government Act 2001, which states where a member of an elected council attends a meeting or event by virtue of an authorisation under this section, he or she shall submit a summary of the proceedings to the next ordinary meeting of the local authority, is being enforced. [2943/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Local Government Act 2001 provides that an elected council may authorise one or more of its members to attend a conference, seminar, training or other meeting or event held, whether within or outside the State, for the purpose of discussing, obtaining or imparting information regarding or connected with any matter that is of concern to the local authority regarding the performance of its functions and is relevant to its administrative area and to the local community. In addition, the legislation provides that any member who attends such an event should submit a summary of the proceedings to the next ordinary meeting of the local authority.

It is a matter for each local authority to ensure that it complies with these requirements. Material recently supplied by city and county councils to my Department indicates that most local authorities have established reporting arrangements consistent with the above requirements.