Council pack goes paperless

Cork City Council held its first paperless meeting this week which will save the local authority just over €6,000 yearly.

For the first time on Monday evening, Cork City Council’s monthly meetings were paperless with all of the reports and agendas available in an electronic format. Councillors used iPads to view them instead with staff from the IT section on hand to help councillors if any problems arose. There was also two television screens in the council chambers showing a preview of whatever motion or question councillors were debating.

Previously, councillors received their agenda, reports and information in a bundle dubbed ‘the council pack’. Figures obtained by the Cork Independent earlier this year showed that €6,288 was spent in 2018 on taxis to deliver these packs to councillors, while €6,550 was paid in 2017 and €6,219 in 2016.

Lord Mayor Cllr John Sheehan said: “We’re delighted to be going digital tonight. The decision to go paperless means that Cork City Council meetings are more environmentally friendly and it also represents better value for money.”

Corporate Affairs and International Relations Director of Services, Paul Moynihan said: “It is a big change in how we conduct our business and so we are asking those attending council meetings to bear with us as we may experience teething problems. The benefits are clear however and it means that elected members will be able to access information for constituents at the touch of a button on all devices.”