“It is important that democracy is exercised in public and that meetings be readily accessible to the public.”
This was one Limerick TD’s reaction to news from Mayor of Limerick John Moran that he would be putting forward a motion at the next full meeting of Limerick City and County Council (March 23) proposing that “all live-streamed full Council meetings be recorded in full, and that those records be published on the Council’s website within two working days”.
The Mayor’s proposal already has some backing, with Social Democrats councillor Elisa O’Donovan set to second the motion, and Fianna Fáil TD for County Limerick, Niall Collins, saying that he “could never understand the opposition to this happening previously”.
“Other local authorities across Ireland for a long time now have live streamed and live broadcasted their meetings. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever that this can not be done in Limerick,” Deputy Collins stated.
Mayor Moran said that “this is not a new idea” and “some members have pushed for this for a long period, but it has never been accepted here in Limerick”.
“We have the technology, we know the cost is not at the level previously suggested, and importantly, I am proposing a funding pathway that protects core services in any event.”
“There is no remaining practical barrier, and I believe the time has come for fuller visibility on Council affairs.”
Despite meetings being recorded for public consumption in other local authorities, some Limerick councillors have traditionally been hesitant to push the button.
Unlike in the Dáil, where elected members enjoy parliamentary privilege and cannot be criminally or civilly liable for comments made in the chamber, local councillors are more exposed and do not have the same legal protection.
In a discussion on the topic in January 2023, former Fianna Fáil councillor Kevin Sheahan told the chamber that recording was “a dangerous game”. He urged elected members to “take legal advice. Why put your finger in the fire and not expect to get burned?”
Fine Gael councillor Daniel Butler suggested that the Council is already “fully accessible”.
“There is a gallery for the public. We are fully transparent. We are not trying to hide anything from anybody. We are just not that interesting really.”
Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Collins expressed fears that it may lead to the Council chamber becoming a “soapbox”.
Green Party councillor Seán Hartigan, however, told councillors at the January 2023 meeting that “if you think you haven’t been recorded, you’re nuts”.
He warned councillors that “anybody could record a meeting and put it up online, out of context”, telling councillors that official recording and posting of meetings would be for “our protection”.
Mayor Moran this week said that his fresh proposal “aims to bring resolution to an issue that has been debated repeatedly over a number of years but has yet to secure majority approval”.
A statement from the Mayor’s Office said that Cllr O’Donovan has committed to allocating a portion of her general municipal allocation towards implementation costs. Other councillors, the statement said, will have the option of contributing from their allocations, and remaining shortfall will be met from the mayoral fund.
“Open debate is fundamental to democracy,” the Mayor said. “If we expect public trust, we must ensure that our deliberations are visible and accessible.”
Under the proposal, written minutes would continue to serve as the formal statutory record for the Council, while recordings would supplement transparency by providing the public with direct access to proceedings.
Addressing potential misuse of video excerpts, the Mayor said that “the publication of full, unedited recordings is the strongest safeguard against misrepresentation”.
At present, any member of the public can view local Council meetings either by attending the public gallery or by emailing the Council at least one working day in advance of a meeting for online access.