Papers Today

// Council casts its net - on the web

IT might not be enough to turn viewers away from their favourite TV soap. But those with little better to do can now log onto the web and watch their local councillors in action from the comfort of their living room or office.

In an effort to lift the lid on the goings-on of local democracy, Fingal Co Council in north Dublin has become the first local authority in the country to show live webcasts of meetings. From yesterday, live debates from the council chamber can be viewed as they happen on a PC. Fingal senior executive officer Stephen Peppard said the council did not anticipate that meetings would take longer, now that councillors were going under the internet spotlight. "We don't have any long-winded councillors here," Mr Peppard told the Irish Independent. "As the first local authority in Ireland to become involved in this kind of project, both council officials and councillors are excited about the opportunity to demystify the process of local democracy." The idea is part of a special EU project involving Fingal and local authorities in the UK, Spain and Slovakia. Meeting archives will be available on the website from the day after each meeting, and it is also planned to show live feeds of local area committee meetings. Viewers can watch council proceedings by visiting www.fingalcoco. public-i.tv/site/ Fergus Black © Irish Independent