DONEGAL County Council is exploring its options on how it can hold meetings during the Covid-19 emergency.
Since the lockdown measures were announced by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in March, the month full-council meetings and the local Municipal District meetings have not taken place.
The Department of Housing and Local Government has advised that holding meetings via teleconference as the Local Government Act 2001 states that advance notice must be given of where a meeting is going to take place.
The Act also states that the media and the general public must be allowed to attend and there are fears that votes could be challenged.
Discussions are ongoing within Donegal County Council on how they will proceed, but there have been no concrete decisions made.
The Council’s corporate policy group will make a determination. The group is comprised of the council’s senior management and the chair of each strategic policy committees.
A department spokesperson said: “There are a number of complex matters arising in relation to the holding of council meetings in the context of the Covid-19 public health measures.
“The department has sought legal advice on those issues and hopes to be able to send a letter of guidance to local authorities.”
Tags: