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$Unique_ID{COW01837}
$Pretitle{423}
$Title{Ireland
State-Sponsored Bodies}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Embassy of Ireland, Washington DC}
$Affiliation{Embassy of Ireland, Washington DC}
$Subject{court
local
defence
authorities
development
corps
government
irish
county
ireland}
$Date{1990}
$Log{}
Country: Ireland
Book: Facts About Ireland. 1990
Author: Embassy of Ireland, Washington DC
Affiliation: Embassy of Ireland, Washington DC
Date: 1990
State-Sponsored Bodies
There are approximately 100 State-sponsored bodies employing about
100,000 people. They are engaged in a wide variety of activities but the major
organisations operate in the following areas:
Public Utilities
The Electricity Supply Board is responsible for all electricity
generation and supply. An Post and Bord Telecom provide mail and
telecommunications services respectively. Bord Gais (Irish Gas Board) is
responsible for the supply of natural gas. RTE, the Irish radio and
television network, runs the national radio and television service.
Transport
The public road and rail transport system is operated by the CIE group of
companies which are State-owned. Iarnrod Eireann (Irish Rail) operates the
nationwide railway system for passengers and freight, including the Dublin
Area Rapid Transit (DART) network. Bus Atha Cliath (Dublin Bus) operates urban
bus services in the Greater Dublin area. Bus Eireann (Irish Bus) operates a
comprehensive network of bus services outside Dublin city. Aer Rianta manages
and operates international airports at Dublin, Cork and Shannon. Aer Lingus,
the Irish international airline, provides international air services and B&I
Line operates ferry services between Britain and Ireland.
Other Trading Companies
NET manufactures agricultural fertilizers. The Irish Sugar Company
produces sugar, food products and agricultural machinery. The Irish National
Petroleum Corporation deals in the international oil market and operates its
own refinery. Bord na Mona, the Irish Peat Development Board, is responsible
for the development and processing of Ireland's peat resources. Coillte Teo.
is responsible for the functions of the Forest Service that relate to
commercial forestry.
Promotional Agencies
The Industrial Development Authority is the agency responsible for
attracting foreign industrial investment into Ireland. Coras Trachtala (The
Irish Export Board) promotes Irish products in export markets and Bord Failte
(Irish Tourist Board) markets Ireland as an international tourist destination.
Other State-sponsored bodies are engaged in the areas of health care,
education and research, fisheries and corporate finance. Within general policy
guidelines laid down by the Government, State-sponsored bodies have a
significant amount of autonomy. Although the Government or an individual
Minister usually appoints members to the Boards of Councils of the bodies,
they are not subject to detailed Ministerial control over day-to-day matters.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
A wide-ranging review of the structures and functions of local government
in Ireland will shortly be undertaken. The position described is as it stands
at the time of going to press.
The Irish local government system comprises 117 elected local authorities
of various types representing towns, cities and counties.
The present-day structure of local government in Ireland predates the
foundation of the State and owes its origins to the rationalization which
followed the enactment of the Local Government (Ireland) Act of 1898 which
divided the country into county districts. At present the elected local
authorities are the 27 County Councils, 5 County Borough Corporations, 6
Borough Corporations, 49 Urban District Councils and 30 boards of town
commissioners.
The principal local authority unit is, however, the County Council or
County Borough Corporation. For the most part local authorities operate under
the supervision of the Minister for the Environment (in Civil Defence matters
they report to the Minister for Defence and, for a very limited number of
matters, to the Ministers for Justice, Agriculture, Health and Social
Welfare).
Membership and Election of Local Authorities
The members of the various local authorities are elected by a system of
proportional representation for a period of five years. Any person who has
reached the age of 18 is eligible to become a member and to vote at the
election. County Councils have a membership of from twenty to forty six and
county borough councils from fifteen to fifty two. Borough Councils usually
have twelve members; urban district councils and boards of town commissioners
have nine members.
Management System
While the local authorities operate under the supervision of the Minister
for the Environment, the actual management system consists of two distinct
elements - the elected members of the local authority and the County Manager
with his supporting administrative staff. Broadly speaking, the functions and
powers of each element are set out in legislation which describes the
relationship in terms of reserved and executive functions.
Reserved functions are discharged by the elected members and comprise
mainly decisions on important matters of policy and principle including the
adoption of estimates, borrowing of money and making or amending bye laws.
Any function which is not a 'reserved' function is automatically an executive
one performable by the Manager. The Manager has, in addition, a duty to advise
and assist the elected members of the local authority in the exercise of
their functions. The County Manager as well as being manager for the County
Council, is by virtue of his office, also manager for every borough
corporation, urban district council, board of town commissioners and every
joint body whose functional area is within the county.
Services provided by Local Authorities
The legal constraints imposed on local authorities by central government
which forbid the spending of money other than for objects authorised by
statute, confines their range of activities to those areas where they have
been specifically authorised to act. The broad range of functions currently
provided by the major local authorities can be described under the following
eight general headings:
1. Housing and Building: Management and provision of local authority
housing; assistance to persons housing themselves or improving their houses;
enforcement of housing standards and controls.
2. Road Transportation and Safety: Road upkeep and improvement; public
lighting; traffic management facilities; safety education; collection of motor
taxation; licensing of drivers of motor vehicles.
3. Water Supply and Sanitation: Public water supply and sanitation
schemes; assistance for private water and sewerage facilities; public
conveniences.
4. Development Incentives and Controls: Physical planning policy; control
of new development and building; promotion of industrial and other
development.
5. Environmental Protection: Waste collection and disposal; burial
grounds; safety of structures and places; fire protection; pollution control.
6. Recreation and Amenity: Swimming pools; libraries; parks; open spaces;
recreation centres; art galleries; museums; theatres; conservation and
improvement of amenities.
7. Agriculture, Education, Health and Welfare: Contributions to
Vocational Education Committees, Regional Health Boards, Joint Drainage
Committees and the Unemployment Assistance Fund; public assistance; rates
waiver schemes; other services of an agricultural, educational or welfare
nature.
8. Miscellaneous Services: Financial management and rate collection;
elections; courthouses; coroners and inquests; consumer protection measures;
markets, fairs and abattoirs; gasworks; corporate estate.
Financing of Local Authorities
Local authorities spend over 10% of the national income on the various
servi