Local Government Act, 1991

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Expenses of members of local authorities and representation of local authorities at conferences.

51.—(1) A local authority may, subject to and in accordance with regulations under subsection (3), make payments to its members in respect of expenses reasonably incurred by the members in relation to—

(a) attendance at a meeting of the authority or of a committee or joint committee of which they are members,

(b) attendance, authorised by the authority, at a meeting of a prescribed association of local authorities of which the authority is a member,

(c) attendance, authorised by the authority, at a conference, seminar or other meeting or event at which the authority is, pursuant to subsection (2), entitled to be represented,

(d) visits, authorised by the authority, to an area with which any part of the functional area of the authority is twinned pursuant to section 49 ,

(e) any prescribed matter.

(2) (a) A local authority may, subject to the provisions of this section, authorise one or more of its members to represent it at a conference, seminar or other meeting or event held, whether within or outside the State, for the purpose of discussing or imparting information regarding or connected with any matter that is of concern to the authority in relation to the performance of its functions and is relevant to its functional area and local community.

(b) A local authority shall not give an authorisation under paragraph (a) unless, having had regard to the matters specified hereunder, they are satisfied that the authorisation is justified, the matters aforesaid being—

(i) the ensuing benefits likely to accrue,

(ii) the general interests of its functional area and the local community,

(iii) the ensuing cost.

(3) The Minister may, after consultation with the Minister for Finance, make regulations for the purpose of this section and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the regulations may provide for any or all of the following matters:

(a) payments to members of local authorities in respect of reasonable expenses incurred by them in relation to each attendance at a meeting of the authority, committee or joint committee concerned or in relation to a specified maximum number of such meetings or payment of a composite annual sum in respect of all such attendances,

(b) payments to members of local authorities in respect of reasonable expenses incurred by them in relation to attendance authorised by the authorities concerned at such meetings or events as aforesaid or visits aforesaid so authorised,

(c) the maximum number of representatives of a local authority or the maximum combined numbers of representatives of local authorities generally or of a particular class or classes of local authorities at such meetings or events or visits as aforesaid,

(d) the determination by the Minister or another specified person—

(i) whether and, if so, to what extent local authorities generally or of a particular class or classes, and

(ii) of the particular local authorities which,

should be represented at such meetings or events as aforesaid generally or specified such meetings or events or a specified class or classes of such meetings or events and of the number of members who may represent individual local authorities at such meetings or events,

(e) conditions and restrictions in relation to the making of payments under this subsection,

(f) any other matters which appear to the Minister to be necessary or expedient for the purposes of this section.

(4) A decision to authorise an attendance or visit referred to in paragraph (b), (c) or (d) of subsection (1) shall be a reserved function.

(5) In this section “member”, in relation to a local authority, includes a member of a committee or joint committee of the authority.

(6) There shall be recorded in the report of a local authority for any year separate particulars in relation to payments made in respect of the matter specified in each paragraph of subsection (1) in that year.