LOCAL authorities in Dublin are taking nearly half a year on average to deal with council motions as compared to those outside the capital which process their agendas on schedule every month.

The lengthy delays in council business have been heavily criticised by elected members who say that motions tabled in Dublin are often dropped simply because they are no longer relevant or topical by the time they are heard.

A survey on the most recent council meetings carried out by the Sunday Tribune revealed that Dublin motions have taken up to 10 months to be brought before their chambers.

Based on last November's meetings, Dublin councils have taken an average of 5.2 months to deal with individual motions – decisions taken at council level relating to general policy on local issues.

However, anecdotal evidence suggests that the delay in getting around to dealing with local business matters can be much longer.

One councillor had filed just two motions since being elected to office, which took around a year-and-a-half to be dealt with.

Of the main county councils outside the capital, not one reported a single delay in dealing with motions on a meeting-by-meeting basis.

In the most extreme case of those motions brought before November meetings, one filed by Cllr Carrie Smyth in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council last February was only dealt with this month. By comparison, Waterford County Councillor Nora Flynn tabled a motion 10 days before the last meeting and had it heard.

While the number of councillors varies from one authority to the other, there is no significant difference between those in Dublin and those outside. The number and duration of meetings is similar across the board.

Lengthy delays in Dublin's meetings have been put down to individual members wasting time with repetitive addresses to the chamber and, often, an inability to even reach the 'notice of motions' stage of the agenda.

Dublin City Councillor Pat McCartan said he has been left extremely frustrated by the delays experienced in the capital's central chamber.

"I have been on the council since June of last year. I put in a motion almost immediately about the closing of the Natural History Museum and then I put in a motion about the Irish language," he said.

"I put in the two motions and it has taken since June 2007 for them to be dealt with.

"On quite a few occasions they never get to the motion at all so I find it very frustrating. A lot of councillors, because the topicality of the motion is gone, will just withdraw the motion. If you put in a motion now there is no guarantee it will be dealt with before the local elections next year."

Councillors around the country expressed alarm at the length of time it takes their Dublin counterparts to process agendas.

"I wouldn't tolerate that at all; after two months I wouldn't tolerate it," said Limerick County Councillor Eddie Wade.

"It [the motion] would be only a talking point if that was the case. In my opinion the council wouldn't be doing their job properly."

Mayo councillor Frank Chambers added: "In my opinion that wouldn't be very good local government. It is important that the agenda is dealt with within at least six weeks."