Politics Councillor subject of vigorous campaign of reprisal, Clonan saysSenator tells Seanad Kildare’s Fiona McLoughlin Healy raised ‘serious matters’ relating to procurement practices and other activities funded by taxpayer
Local Government Tullamore town centre upgrade to run over budget by at least €1.4 millionIncrease in scope of project and unforeseen costs lead to cost overrun, finds local government report
Local government Fixyourstreet.ie to be shut down next monthWebsite which lets citizens tell their local authority about problems such as illegal dumping and broken streetlights has received 79,000 reports since 2011
Sinn Féin to publish new measures aimed at collecting derelict sites penalties Opposition party wants local authorities that have collected less than 75 per cent of derelict sites fines to publish a report explaining their lack of effective action and how they intend to address the issue
Derelict site registers missing key details amid calls for greater transparency Less than half of local authorities in Ireland don’t have a register available online
Less than 3% of country’s derelict sites acquired by councils in 2020Most local authorities did not acquire any derelict sites last year
NTA moves to fill 90 active transport roles by year’s end New hires will help local authorities build cycling and walking infrastructure
Over €5 million in derelict site levies unpaid in 2020Less than 7% of what was owed to local authorities was paid last year
Number of derelict sites reaches seven-year highTrue number likely to be higher as 12 local authorities did not add any sites during 2020
Council orders hotel to remove shipping containers from front of homesLocal authority in Meath rules that installation of containers around private homes constitutes “unauthorised development”
Watchdog says Louth most active county for compulsory purchase ordersNational Oversight & Audit Commission says officials in Louth placed CPOs on 93 homes in the past five years for social housing
Government to continue letting builders of one-off houses opt out of professional checksA special exemption was brought in for one-off homes in 2015 so that the owners would not have to pay the professional certification fees
Editorial: Outdoor living must not be spoiled by killjoy tacticsIf this summer is to be a memorable one everybody needs to lighten up a little.
Michael Brennan: The timing of the property tax hike is a bid to limit any political falloutThe coalition is risking a backlash in overhauling the existing tax regime as the pandemic is still hurting households and house prices are rising
Councils collected less than 1% of vacant site levies Of more than €21.5 million owed to local authorities across the country, a mere €21,000 was paid last year
Comment: White-water rafting project was a valid idea with a failed sales pitchDublin City Council had a chance to paint a picture of an exciting new facility that could add new life to the north Docklands, instead it has offered a vague and laboured defence of its plans
Burke orders his own council to overturn wind farm ruleThe Minister of State for Local Government is from Westmeath, where councillors had imposed a restriction on wind farms tantamount to a ban
Coalition relaxes housing density planning rules on urban sitesA housing circular said that densities of under 30 homes per hectare may be considered ‘at the periphery of large towns, particularly at the edges of towns in a rural context‘
Firm offers to install public toilets in Dublin city centre for freeHealthmatic aims to get its money back over 15 years by charging the public to use the facilities and renting out the attached coffee shops
Cian O’Callaghan: State’s over-reliance on leasing to address social housing crisis is dangerousLocking local authorities into long-term leasing arrangements benefits investors but makes little sense for the government
