COUNTY COUNCILS are not paying enough attention to pending EU policy and legislation and should designate an official to deal with European matters so as not to fall behind the regions in other countries.
This is the view of the the South West Regional Authority representative on the EU's committee of the regions, Paul O'Donoghue. The Fianna Fáil member is the president of the UEN-EA, the Union for Europe of the Nations - European Alliance, one of the four political groups in the regional committee.
Mr O'Donoghue said local authorities in other countries kept in constant contact with the EU and kept up to speed with policy and legislation. Some of the regions even had designated offices in Brussels, funded by their local authorities.
"Seventy per cent of policies and legislation coming from Brussels has a direct or indirect impact on local authorities, so we in Ireland should be much more aware of what is coming upstream."
The county councils in particular should have structures which would allow "a filter" for members to discuss relevant issues and, if necessary, try and influence or change policies via the European Parliament or the Committee of the Regions. The latter represented local and regional government in EU-decisionmaking structures and had grown in stature and power, Mr O'Donoghue said.
It would not be necessary to employ extra personnel, as existing personnel could be used, he said.
His call has already been backed by the East Border Region, which has representatives from local authorities, North and South.
Meanwhile, a conference on culture and tourism involving about 50 members of the UEN-EA grouping led by Mr O'Donoghue is to be held in March in Sneem, Co Kerry.