Online Courses

Understanding Local Government Finance is a specialist-led online one-day course that is designed to provide participants with a basic understanding of how an Irish Local Authority sources their income to fund day to day expenditure and capital expenditure. The course will also provide participants with an appreciation of how the budget process works in a Local Authority and an understanding of the Income and Expenditure Account and Balance Sheet of a Local Authority. Finally, the course will examine the role of internal and external audit in a local government context.

Understanding Local Government Finance

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Key Facts

Delivery Method

This course has been modified for online delivery. It will be remotely delivered through MS Teams and facilitated by subject matter experts.

Scheduled Date:

  • 4 March 2025
  • 2 September 2025
  • 18 November 2025

Commences

4 March 2025 | 2 September 2025 | 18 November 2025 Bookings for this course close one week in advance of start date.

Duration

One Day Online Course

Fees & Enrolment

Fee: The fee for this course is €460 per person.

Individuals who are paying for themselves must pay in full by credit card at the time of booking.

Booking: Bookings must be received in writing using the online booking option (see below).  All bookings will be confirmed via email.  Please send completed booking forms to:

Central Bookings Office
Institute of Public Administration
57-61 Lansdowne Road, Dublin D04 TC62
Tel: (01) 240 3666 | Fax: (01) 668 9135
Email: training@ipa.ie

All IPA courses are subject to minimum participant numbers and bookings will typically close one week prior to the course start date.

Cancellation Policy: Please note, that in the event of a cancellation less than 48 working hours before the commencement of a course, a 15% cancellation fee will be charged.  Cancellation fee will also apply to non-arrivals on the day.

Progression

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The Programme

Understanding Local Government Finance is a specialist-led online one-day course that is designed to provide participants with a basic understanding of how an Irish Local Authority sources their income to fund day to day expenditure and capital expenditure. The course will also provide participants with an appreciation of how the budget process works in a Local Authority and an understanding of the Income and Expenditure Account and Balance Sheet of a Local Authority. Finally, the course will examine the role of internal and external audit in a local government context.

Who is this for?

The Understanding Local Government Finance course will be of interest to any Local Authority Official and/or Elected Member who wants to gain a basic understanding of the financing of Irish Local Authorities. It may also be of benefit to Local Authority staff members who currently work in a finance related area but who may wish to expand their knowledge of the full operation of local authority financing.

Course Content

The Understanding Local Government Finance course will cover the following key areas:

  • Understanding the key sources of funding the Revenue Accounts of Local Authorities (including Service Charges; specific State Grants; Commercial Rates; the Local Property Tax; Pension Related Deductions; the Equalisation Fund);
  • Understanding the key sources of funding the Capital Accounts of Local Authorities (including Exchequer Funding; EU Funding; Development Levies; Borrowing; Sale of Assets);
  • Understanding how the Revenue Budget Process operates in a Local Authority context;
  • Understanding the Annual Financial Statements (AFS) of Local Authorities (including the Income and Expenditure Account – Statement of Comprehensive Income; Balance Sheet);
  • Understanding the role of audit in the local government system (including the understanding the role of the Local Government Audit Service; the role of Audit Committees and the role of internal audit).
Other Information

This course can be customised for delivery within a specific local authority. Where it is customised, the Revenue & Capital Accounts and the AFS of the specific Local Authority will be discussed.

Course Leader

This course will be delivered by Majella Malone, IPA Finance Specialist.

 

Please select if you are booking as an individual or on behalf of an organisation

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