Local Government

This department supports local government in its role of promoting the wellbeing and quality of life of citizens and communities through the efficient performance of functions and delivery of good-value services at local level.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is responsible for the policy and laws about the conduct of elections and referendums and the registration of electors.

The department’s work involves:

• an ongoing review of electoral law
• legislating for changes, when recommended, to constituencies and local electoral areas
• the provision of information and advice to registration authorities (which maintain the registers of electors for each council), returning officers (who are responsible for running elections) and the general public, including information on additional supports for voters
• the publication of election results
• the verification and certification of any Irish statements of support for a European Citizens’ Initiative

The relevant constitutional and legislative provisions relating to electoral law are available on the Irish Statute Book website.

Read more about voting and elections in Ireland here.

The department is responsible for supporting the Irish Fire and Rescue Service. It also co-ordinates the national response to:

• severe weather
• a range of other major emergencies

Learn more on fire and emergency.

• Local Government: Structure and Functions
• Local Government Reform
• directly elected mayor with executive functions
• Policy Groups / Committees

• Local Government Finance
• Local Property Tax
• Local Authority Annual Financial Statements
• Local Authority Budgets

• Standards in Public Life
• National Oversight and Audit Commission

• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Pension Authority website

The Programme for Government commits to reforming and strengthening local government which is the “beating heart of our democracy” and provides many of the essential services on which we all depend. It states that the Government will convene a ‘Local Democracy Taskforce’ with the Local Government sector to finalise a programme for the reform and strengthening of local government. Initial work is progressing through engagement with stakeholders.

Read more about Local Democracy Taskforce here

Local Government pay and related circulars will be published here. This page is in beta and is not yet complete with all circulars.

Note: Circulars published in January and June 2024 notifying pay adjustments under the Public Service Agreement 2024 – 2026 for January and June 2024 have separate Chief Executive orders. From 1st October 2024 onwards, the Chief Executive pay scales will be amalgamated in the main circular with all Local Authority grades.

The Minister is responsible for setting and declaring qualifications for posts in the local government sector under section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001 (as amended). Declared qualifications are subject to ongoing review and updating where necessary.

In 2024, a Working Group was established by the Department to review the existing suite of engineering qualifications for engineering roles in the local government sector.

The terms of reference for the Working Group were to undertake a review of the existing suite of engineering qualifications in the local government sector and to propose changes to those qualifications with the aim of have a revised suite of qualifications submitted to the Minister for declaration under section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001.

Following the conclusion of the work undertaken by the Working Group which recommended a number of changes and a consultation process with the relevant public sector unions about the proposed changes, revised qualifications for engineering posts were declared on 25 July 2025 and are available here.

Engineering Qualifications Working Group - Final Terms of Reference

Engineering Qualifications Working Group - Membership

Working Group Engineering Qualifications Review - Position Paper Final