Written answers

Tuesday, 4 December 2007

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Ethics Legislation

9:00 pm

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 573: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason statutory declarations made by elected officials and senior unelected officials are not displayed on the internet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32013/07]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 574: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the agency or authority that is responsible for ensuring that county councillors make their annual declaration of interest in accordance with the ethics legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32014/07]

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 573 and 574 together.

Under the Local Government Act 2001, responsibility for compliance with the ethics framework in local government rests with each councillor and relevant employee of a local authority. The Act also gives the role of overseeing the operation of the framework to a person in each local authority, known as an Ethics Registrar, assigned for this purpose. The duties of an Ethics Registrar include (a) reminding each councillor and relevant employee annually of their obligations in relation to annual declarations; (b) keeping a public register containing the particulars contained in the declarations provided by councillors and relevant employees; (c) drawing the attention of such persons to any minor errors or omissions in such declarations; (d) bringing the attention of the Cathaoirleach or the Manager of the Council to any possible contravention of the ethics framework with a view to considering what action should be taken.

Under the Act, the public register, which is kept at the offices of the local authority, is available for public inspection and a copy of any entry in it can be obtained on request at a reasonable cost.

The operation and effectiveness of the ethics framework in local government are being kept under review and consideration will be given to appropriate improvements that could be made to it in the context of the commitment in the Programme for Government relating to the reform of local government.

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