Ethics and Declaration of Interest

In January 2003 a new ethics framework came into operation governing the ethics and codes of conduct of local authority members and relevant employees

As a general rule, this framework provides that it is the duty of every local authority member and employee to maintain proper standards of integrity, conduct and concern for the public interest and a provision for the Minister to issue codes of conduct for guidance of members and staff (see Codes of Conduct below). In addition, it established for each member a system of annual declaration of interests, disclosure of interest in a matter, which comes before the authority, and a public register of interests.

Part 15 of the Local Government Act 2001 sets out an ethics framework specific to councillors, managers and employees, and is applicable generally across all areas of the Council’s work. This framework imposes a statutory duty on all in the service to maintain proper standards of integrity, conduct and concern for the public interest.

This ethics framework requires all Councillors to submit to the Ethics Registrar an annual written declaration of "declarable interests".

The submission of an annual declaration under the Act also applies to the Chief Executive and certain relevant staff. A public register of declarable interests is kept by Galway City Council. The interests which have to be declared annually are set out in Section 175 of The Irish Statute Book of the Local Government Act 2001 and associated regulations. As a general guide, they include holdings of land or other property, shareholdings, directorships, contracts with a local authority. Each member must complete and return each year a form setting out his or her interests.

Local Government Act 2001