House charge body pays €26k for council officials’ US course

The taxpayer has footed a €31,000 bill for sending local government officials from one county council to a management course at a US university — with the body that collects the household charge paying course fees.

At a meeting of Clare County Council last night, the local authority confirmed that three officials have participated in a three-week management programme at the prestigious Harvard University over the past five years.

The council confirmed that the body charged with collecting the household charge, the Local Government Management Agency, paid the course fees of €26,221, while the council paid an additional €5,726 in travel and subsistence that included cost of flights.