Councillors facing 'unfair and onerous obligations' next year

A MAYO senator has raised concerns over the Public Sector Standards Bill 2015 which is due to come before An Seanad in the new year.

According to Senator Paddy Burke, it will have significant consequences for local authority members across the country, putting onerous obligations on them to comply with the law when it is introduced.

He elaborated: “Under the bill's proposals, if local authority members receive €50,000 in a will, they would have to declare it.

“It may well have to be declared in private to the county secretary or county manager, but it still has to be declared. This could be in breach of data protection legislation.

“The bill will involve other obligations for local authority members. If their circumstances change, they may have to make up to three declarations per year and hold documentation for up to 15 years. Local authority members have limited secretarial services, if any.

“Holding records for 15 years and making three declarations a year will put quite an obligation on them.

“As well as that, they will be classified as category A public officials, putting them in the same category as Oireachtas members, the Judiciary and departmental secretaries general.

“It is most unfair that a local authority member would be categorised as having the same obligations as those groups.”