CONFUSION reigned at Limerick Council’s third public attempt to get the recording and livestreaming of local authority meetings over the line.
In addition to the issue being discussed at a special meeting last month and the previous month’s plenary meeting, councillors have also attended workshops and briefings on how to effectively record their statutory meetings going forward.
On their first ditched attempt to deal with this matter back in March, it ended in emotional outbursts and walkouts. The second try in April saw frustration abound with more questions than answers. While this Tuesday’s special meeting left many in the Dooradoyle chamber scratching their heads and not sure whether they were coming or going by the end of proceedings.
Council members had previously sought more information on cost, legal, procurement, and data protection. But now again, in May, they were still talking about transparency and compromise.
The Council’s Deputy Director General Joe Delaney explained that the best protection that they saw on the market is a managed solution, which takes account of some data protection and other legislative requirements. He told the meeting that this would involve the local authority going through a procurement process. He also recommend a hardware leasing model that supports the services in place for the technology.
On the basis of recording the Municipal District meetings, the Metropolitan District, and the plenary meetings of Limerick City and County Council, the cost was estimated at €65,249. This price was arrived at by using the 251 hours of public meetings in 2025. Using the same method, the Council came up with an estimated costing of €21,633 for plenary meetings, going on the 75 hours of meetings last year.
Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Collins pointed out to Mr Delaney that he had been given a “commitment” at the last meeting that all the relevant information would be given to them in a timely manner. He took the view that this had not happened despite having been sent a report by the Council executive 10 days earlier as well as a workshop being hosted for members.
Fine Gael councillor John Sheahan took issue with the fact that Mayor John Moran was not yet at the meeting, deeming it a “poor way to do business”. He reminded Council management that they promised to have “everything on the table” for this latest meeting, yet no new information was forthcoming.
“There was issues raised at the workshop, as well. I had contacted other local authorities and the figures were a lot higher. Now, I suppose we’ll be careful there, whether you’re comparing like with like or apples with oranges. But South County Dublin Council are looking at a cost of €260,000,” Cllr Sheahan explained.
Cllr Bridie Collins (FF) said that the spirit of amendment of the motion at the last meeting was to include all statutory meetings and felt this was not now being progressed. She suggested that they now remove the word ‘recording’, separating it from the ‘livestreaming’.
“I would be proposing that we remove the word recording, we leave in the streaming and we need to look at that separately. I think that’s the way to go, we move forward with streaming but not recording. The recording bit is the part we all have difficulty with,” Cllr Collins commented.
Mayor John Moran, who was late to the meeting due to other work engagements, said that he believes that it’s important that they record and livestream as many of their meetings that are open to the public as possible.
“But I am not going to die in the sand for meetings I’m not even a member of, so from my perspective I would clearly want to vote for the recording and live streaming of the plenary meetings that we have. I’m happy to leave it to other councillors to decide what they want to do for the other meetings that they’re in,” he insisted.
The overall consensus from councillors was one of confusion, but ultimately that if they are to record Council meetings they “want it done right”. Director General of LCCC, Dr Pat Daly saw this as a wise move.
“You are right to take your time. Measure twice and cut once,” Dr Daly opined.
Councillors will again discuss recording and livestreaming public meetings at the full July meeting of the local authority.