Low transparency scores should jolt local authorities into action

A report by Transparency International Ireland shows that there is a lack of urgency among local authorities about systems to account for the spending of substantial sums of taxpayers’ money

Much work to be done on transparency in local government. Pic: RollingNews.ie
Much work to be done by local authorities on transparency. Pic: RollingNews.ie

Local authorities remain the poor relations of the Irish political system. National politics and large organisations such as the HSE and An Garda Síochána are frequently headline news, but the activities or lack of them of local authorities are far less well observed by the media and far less often discussed by those interested in politics.

Given that the combined budget of the authorities is €4 billion, and that they have responsibility for so much economic investment andmaintenance of infrastructure, this is surprising. Surprising too that the public is much slower to engage with local organisations, usually turning to Leinster House to lay blame or criticise.