Local Government Act, 2001

Submissions to Commission.

95.—(1) The Commission shall as soon as practicable give public notice of its intention to prepare a report under a provision mentioned in section 90 (1).

(2) The public notice referred to in subsection (1), which shall be published in a newspaper circulating in the area to which the subject matter of the report relates, shall indicate that—

(a) any person may make a submission to the Commission in relation to the subject matter of the report to be prepared by the Commission in a manner and within the period as is specified in the notice, and

(b) submissions received by the Commission within the period specified in the notice referred to in paragraph (a) shall be made available for public inspection.

(3) The Commission shall consider any submission made to it in accordance with such notice or made by a local authority under this section or otherwise.

(4) The submissions received by the Commission under this section are open to public inspection at such time and place and under such conditions as may be specified by the Commission and the Commission shall permit a copy of such submission or of extracts from them to be taken on payment of a fee which shall not exceed the reasonable cost of copying the submissions.

(5) (a) A local authority shall comply with a request in writing from the Commission to furnish to the Commission such information and particulars as the Commission may reasonably require for the purposes of any of its functions.

(b) The information requested under paragraph (a) shall be supplied by the local authority to the Commission within such period as is specified in the request.

(6) Without the consent of the Commission, a person shall not disclose to any person any information obtained while serving as a member of the Commission or as a person whose services are made available to the Commission under section 94 , which relates to the business of the Commission or the performance of the functions of the Commission.

(7) A person who contravenes subsection (6) is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,500.

(8) Summary proceedings for an offence under this section may be brought by the Minister.