Association of Irish Local Government
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| Association of Irish Local Government | |
|---|---|
| Name | Association of Irish Local Government |
| Formation | 2015 |
| Type | Non-profit advocacy |
| Headquarters | Dublin |
| Region served | Republic of Ireland |
| Leader title | President |
Association of Irish Local Government is a representative body formed to coordinate policy, advocacy and training for elected officials across Irish local authorities. It arose amid reforms linking local government bodies with national institutions such as Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Local Government Act 2014 and Charter of Local Self-Government-related commitments. The organisation engages with political parties, statutory agencies and European networks including Council of Europe, European Committee of the Regions, European Commission and Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.
History
The organisation was established following a series of reforms and reviews connected to the Belfast Agreement, Good Friday Agreement implementation processes, the Local Government Reform Act debates and the aftermath of the 2008 Irish financial crisis, when municipal structures were re-examined alongside entities such as Dublin City Council, Cork County Council, Galway County Council, Limerick City and County Council and Waterford City and County Council. Early meetings involved associations linked to County and City Management Association, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland as well as representatives from the European Investment Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Significant milestones included memoranda exchanged with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, contributions to the Public Accounts Committee inquiries, and collaboration on policy papers with the National Oversight and Audit Commission and the Commission on Local Government Finance.
Structure and Membership
Membership comprises elected members from principal councils such as Kilkenny County Council, Tipperary County Council, Donegal County Council, Kerry County Council and Meath County Council, alongside councillors from urban authorities including Sligo County Council, Carlow County Council and Clare County Council. Corporate partners have included representatives from institutions like Irish Water, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Local Government Management Agency and the Roads Section of the Department of Transport. Members sit on committees similar to those found in European Committee of the Regions delegations, with regional groupings mirroring entities such as the Southern Regional Assembly, Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly and Northern and Western Regional Assembly.
Functions and Activities
The body lobbies on matters involving statutory frameworks such as the Local Government Act 2001 and engages in policy development on housing, planning and infrastructure alongside agencies like An Bord Pleanála, Housing Agency, and National Transport Authority. It provides training and development for councillors in areas intersecting with agencies such as Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, Audit Commission-style oversight, and professional networks including Local Government Directors of Finance and Association of Municipal Treasurers. Advocacy activities include submissions to Oireachtas committees like the Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, participation in cross-border initiatives with Northern Ireland Local Government Association and coordination with EU funding bodies such as the European Regional Development Fund.
Governance and Leadership
Leadership has featured elected presidents drawn from county and city councils, with chief officers coordinating operations akin to roles in the Local Government Management Agency and strategic advisors who have previously worked with the Department of the Taoiseach and the Office of the Attorney General. The governing board reflects political groupings similar to parties such as Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Sinn Féin, Green Party (Ireland), Labour Party (Ireland) and independents, and it convenes assemblies modelled on procedures used by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Royal Town Planning Institute.
Funding and Financial Arrangements
Funding streams combine subscriptions from member councils such as Roscommon County Council and Longford County Council, project-specific grants from bodies like the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and EU instruments including the European Social Fund Plus, and fee income from training supplied in conjunction with institutions such as Institute of Public Administration. Financial oversight interacts with external auditors appointed under provisions resembling those applied by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General and reporting obligations to oversight entities like the National Oversight and Audit Commission.
Relationships with Government and Other Bodies
The association maintains channels with the Taoiseach's Office, engages in formal consultative processes with the Department of Finance, negotiates with statutory regulators such as An Garda Síochána on community safety initiatives, and partners with non-governmental organisations like Irish Local Development Network and Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland. It participates in international networks including the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, bilateral exchanges with the Association of Municipalities of Slovenia and project collaborations funded by the European Investment Bank.
Criticism and Controversies
Critics have challenged aspects of its advocacy and resource allocation, comparing its role to past disputes in bodies such as the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland and controversies referenced in Oireachtas debates over the Local Property Tax and the handling of the 2010s housing crisis in the Republic of Ireland. Allegations have included concerns over representational balance among large authorities like Dublin City Council and smaller councils such as Leitrim County Council, transparency issues analogous to disputes involving the Local Government Management Agency, and tensions over lobbying methods that drew scrutiny from the Standards in Public Office Commission.