# Local Authorities

Last month

September 2023

# Safety

Local councillors to be given €2,500 allowance for personal security

Eligible expenses will include intruder alarms, CCTV and panic buttons.

23.1k

Sep 13th 2023, 7:47 PM

This year

2023

# Analysis

They get more attention, but NIMBYs usually lose out in the end to YIMBYs

The Journal found a lot of objections against housing projects across Ireland – but most developments were cleared to go ahead anyway.

21.8k

Aug 26th 2023, 6:30 AM

# Water Services

Water delivery service workers to strike across the country this week

Unite the union is calling for a date to be set for a referendum on enshrining public ownership of Ireland’s water system in the constitution.

13.2k

Aug 1st 2023, 1:03 PM

THE MORNING LEAD

Most local authorities didn't collect any of the Derelict Sites Levy in 2022

A report by

Jamie McCarron

14 local authorities didn’t impose any levy on the owners of over 300 derelict sites across the country.

14.9k

Jul 27th 2023, 12:05 AM

# Construction

Contractors on public works projects to be better protected by state from inflation

Announcing the measure, Paschal Donohoe said that the construction industry had faced significant challenges in the past two years.

11.5k

Jul 3rd 2023, 12:48 PM

# Housing

Councils identify over 1,500 vacant and derelict properties to be bought up

The price tag of the properties comes in at €437 million.

24.0k

Jun 20th 2023, 7:38 PM

# Industrial Action

Local authorities are not prepared for strikes by water and firefighting workers, Siptu warns

Staff in local firefighting and water divisions are to stage separate strikes starting next week.

5.5k

Jun 1st 2023, 3:56 PM

# Mortgages

Government-backed mortgage offers are set to get bigger from March

Houses valued up to €360,000 in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, South Dublin, Dublin City, Fingal, Wicklow and Kildare will soon be eligible for the loan.

14.7k

Feb 7th 2023, 3:24 PM

Last year

2022

# Housing

Councils to secure proportion of any land value increase arising from residential zoning decisions

Land value increases when planning decisions are made to zone land, with the uplift going to the landowners or developers, but not to the State.

16.1k

Dec 14th 2022, 6:15 AM

# Leaders' Questions

Government criticised over €700 million capital underspend in housing budget

The Dáil heard that local authorities currently have 2,000 homes under construction on various sites.

7.7k

Dec 6th 2022, 4:33 PM

# housing needs

People with disabilities 'more likely to be homeless than the general population'

‘Inadequate funding and resources’ are also creating barriers for people with disabilities when trying to find a suitable place to live.

4.8k

Dec 6th 2022, 12:18 PM

# Housing Crisis

Councils that can deliver rapid-build houses on sites will have land debt paid off

Local authorities are currently carrying around €309 million of land legacy debt.

14.3k

Nov 23rd 2022, 7:57 AM

# Maternity Leave

New scheme to allow councillor appoint temporary substitute while on maternity leave

Currently, female councillors are office-holders rather than employees and are not covered by the statutory framework for maternity leave.

7.3k

Nov 22nd 2022, 1:57 PM

# in the weeds

The Explainer x Noteworthy: How much weedkiller are councils using?

Reporter Anthea Lacchia and campaigner James Walsh tell Susan Daly about how almost all councils are still using pesticides.

5.8k

Updated

Sep 20th 2022, 7:45 PM

THE MORNING LEAD

'It was sprayed in the playground': Widespread use of chemical weedkillers by councils

A report by

Anthea Lacchia

The amount spent by local authorities on pesticides varies from less than €1,000 to about €300,000 a year.

At least 28 councils applying chemical herbicide, with 19 confirmed as using glyphosate products in 2022

Local authorities' spend on pesticides varies from less than €1,000 to about €300,000 a year, reports Anthea Lacchia for Noteworthy

Campaigner: "Alternatives have to be prioritised... spraying should not be done in public areas"

27.9k

Sep 20th 2022, 12:05 AM

# EPA

Over half of septic tanks failed inspections in 2021, EPA says

Under a third of septic tanks were also considered a risk to human health and the environment by the EPA.

13.4k

Jun 30th 2022, 8:17 AM

# Housing

Councils identify 89 State-owned buildings to immediately house over 5,000 Ukrainian refugees

A total of 25,383 refugees have arrived in the country as of last night.

35.1k

Apr 26th 2022, 7:45 PM

# hap

Concerns around HAP payment levels set to be raised at housing committee today

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing will receive an update on its interim homelessness report today.

12.5k

Feb 8th 2022, 1:58 PM

# Diesel Sludge

Over €1 million spent on diesel laundering cleanup in two border counties since 2018

Over half of the cost is being incurred in Louth, with over €700,000 being spent on cleanup of diesel sludge.

14.2k

Jan 24th 2022, 6:30 AM

All time

# Explainer

A useful guide to Ireland's planning system and how to have your say on proposed developments

News of two developments brought the system into focus again this week.

14.6k

Oct 9th 2021, 7:00 PM

# affordable homes

Councillors to be bypassed with transfer of local authority lands to State agency without council vote

The State agency is tasked to fully utilise state lands to build affordable homes.

22.7k

Feb 5th 2021, 5:32 PM

# Darragh O'Brien

Minister tells councils to buy up properties as social housing target 'will not be achieved'

Minister Darragh O’Brien said Covid-related construction delays has seriously impacted on new build construction.

39.6k

Jul 21st 2020, 12:35 PM

# Local councils

Local authorities agree deferral of rates payments for businesses impacted by coronavirus outbreak

Each authority will manage repayment schedules with businesses into the future.

9.0k

Mar 20th 2020, 1:43 PM

# cut down to size

"We have no say on what happens in our town": The true extent of tree felling by local authorities

The first part of Noteworthy’s in-depth investigation reveals that over 10,000 trees have been cut down by councils since 2015 with many having incomplete records.

43.1k

Jan 20th 2020, 12:06 AM

# cut down to size

Strategy and specialists in short supply when it comes to saving public trees

The second part of Noteworthy’s in-depth investigation explores the reasons behind tree cutting including a lack of policy and expertise.

12.3k

Jan 20th 2020, 12:05 AM

# anti-corruption

The two 'most transparent' councils in Ireland are in Dublin

Fingal County Council and South Dublin County Council have topped a new index of the country’s 31 local authorities.

19.3k

Dec 9th 2019, 7:43 AM

# Electric Cars

Local councils tasked with rolling out 1,000 on-street electric car charge points over the next 5 years

There are currently almost 1,100 public charge points available across the island of Ireland.

13.9k

Aug 26th 2019, 6:10 AM

# department of housing

10 local authorities failed to draw down funding for Traveller accommodation last year

Of €12 million allocated to local authorities in 2018, only €6.2 million was drawn down.

24.2k

Feb 21st 2019, 6:10 AM

# Social Housing

The myth of the free council house: 'We're not just handing them over, that would be crazy'

Dublin City Council tenants paid a total of €78.3 million in rent last year.

103k

Dec 22nd 2018, 12:05 AM

# Waiting Lists

In Ireland, there is a 'widespread assumption' that your local TD or councillor can help you get a council house

A new report outlines a number of issues with local authority housing waiting lists in Ireland.

35.7k

Dec 14th 2018, 12:08 PM

# euthanisation

Number of dogs being 'put down' by pounds falls by 40%

The numbers of dogs being euthanised has fallen significantly since 2002 when 21,000 were put down.

13.1k

Jul 8th 2018, 7:00 AM

# Local Authorities

Councillors could be in store for pay increases as review considers their remuneration

A review of the role of elected members of local authorities is being commissioned.

14.6k

Jun 21st 2018, 10:25 PM

# Electoral Reform

Calls to reform 'outdated and cumbersome' electoral register system

Politicians have said there are significant inaccuracies on the register.

7.8k

Jun 10th 2018, 6:30 AM

# End of the sign

Today's the final day for referendum posters to be removed

Any referendum posters in place after today are deemed to be in breach of the legislation and are subject to an on-the-spot litter fine of €150.

11.5k

Jun 1st 2018, 6:00 AM

# voter data

Pro-life groups secured access to the names and addresses of Irish voters ahead of the referendum

An investigation by TheJournal.ie and OpenDemocracy has found that at least two pro-life groups have applied for copies of the register for different local authorities.

64.7k

117

May 23rd 2018, 7:00 PM

# Corruption

Galway City Council is the local authority with the most integrity

Transparency International Ireland said even the highest ranking councils in its index have work to do.

17.3k

May 16th 2018, 7:01 AM

# hold up

'Slight delay' in publishing Ireland's latest homeless numbers shows new form of reporting is needed, says minister

Some local authorities appear to be better than others in terms of sending their numbers to the Department of Housing.

9.0k

Apr 27th 2018, 12:37 PM

# Emergency Services

Siptu calls for remuneration for members who 'worked tirelessly' during Storm Emma

The trade union wants “a uniform response by local authorities to extreme weather events”.

16.3k

Mar 14th 2018, 6:44 PM

# not suckin' diesel

It begins - German court rules that cities can ban diesel cars to combat air pollution

The move paves the way for the phasing out of diesel vehicles in a country with a huge automotive industry.

21.4k

Feb 27th 2018, 10:56 PM

# delayed discharges

Elderly people can't leave hospital due to council taking up to 18 months to fit walk-in showers and ramps

The Housing Department has also confirmed that the waiting list for home ramps is up to 10 months.

11.8k

Feb 12th 2018, 6:20 AM