Ethics Registrar

Ethics Registrar - Codes of Conduct & Behaviour.

Council elected members and employees have a personal responsibility to abide by the highest ethical conduct in the performance of their duties.

The Local Government Act 2001 sets out a revised ethical framework and it imposes a statutory duty on all in the local government service to maintain proper standards of integrity, conduct and concern for the public interest and to act within the law.

This is to be achieved by adhering to the Codes of Conducts which were issued to all elected members and employees, the completion of Annual Declarations of Interests, the completion of Annual Political Donation Statements and compliance with the law and the Code of Conduct in their dealings with the Council.

Ethics Registrar

Mayo County Council appoints an Ethic Registrar to implement the Ethics Framework.

The contact details for the Ethics Registrar from January 2022 to December 2023 are as follows:

Mags Connell

Phone No: (094) 9064202

E-mail: ethicsregistrar@mayococo.ie

The Ethics Declarations are maintained in a Register which can be inspected, on request, by any member of the public.

Codes of Conduct

Code of Conduct have been developed to enable elected members and council employees to provide a high-quality service in a safe and secure environment and this applies also to all members of the public who use our facilities and services.

The Codes of Conduct for Councillors and for Employees are available at:

Code of Conduct for Councillors

Code of Conduct for Employees

Relevant Employees; Mayo County Council.

The employees to whom Part 15 will apply are known as “relevant employees”. They are:

every employee holding a post with a maximum salary of at least the maximum salary for the time being of a senior executive engineer;
every other employee who is assigned to perform functions under the Planning and Development Act 2000 and holds a post with a maximum salary of at least the maximum salary for the time being of a Senior Staff Officer (Grade 6), or for which the qualifications are wholly or in part professional or technical;
any other employee or other person who is the holder of a position designated by order of the Manager under S167.

The main features of Part 15 of Local Government Act, 2001 provide that elected members and relevant employees must furnish an annual declaration of interests.

A public register of such interests is maintained by each local authority.

A member must disclose any financial or other beneficial interest s/he or a “connected person” has in any matter that comes before a meeting.
A relevant employee must do likewise in case of any matter with which s/he is concerned in the course of work.
A member or relevant employee is prohibited from seeking to influence any matter with which the local authority is concerned in which they or a connected person has a beneficial interest.
An official (Ethics Registrar) to be assigned by manager has responsibility for issue of annual declaration forms and related matters.
It is the duty of members and relevant employees to maintain proper standards of integrity, conduct and concern for the public interest.
A prohibition exists on seeking, exacting or accepting any fee or reward for anything done or not done by virtue of position or office.
Codes of conduct, one for members and another for staff, have been issued by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage & Local Government.
Failure to comply with the annual declaration or disclosure requirements is an offence under the Act.
A manager (or Mayor in case of manager) informed of possible contravention of Part 15 is required to consider what action should be taken.