North Tipperary County Council has refused media access to meetings where the county's economic, social, development, cultural and infrastructural plans are discussed.
The decision this week came after the council voted unanimously to reject a motion by Labour councillor Ms Kathleen O'Meara to allow the media to attend and report on Special Policy Committee (SPC) meetings and area meetings.
Yesterday, a Department of the Environment and Local Government spokesman said the public was entitled to attend full meetings of the council.
However, it was a matter for individual local authorities to make decisions in relation to SPC and area meetings, he said.
He added that the Local Government Bill 2000 said that in future the local authority would have to consider public access to SPC and area meetings.
The Minister is committed to looking at public access to these meetings, he said. Ms O'Meara said important business was being done at these meetings and discussions should be recorded for the public.
The press had an important role to play in local democracy.
She asked councillors to adopt her motion in the public interest and not to have meetings closed to the media because it was not in the public interest. Council chairman Mr Tony McKenna (Fianna Fail) opposed the motion and said councillors would not be able to let their guard down if the media attended.
Independent TD Mr Michael Lowry said area and SPC meetings would not be of interest to the media because they were a forum for people to exchange "views, not firm views". He did not support Ms O'Meara's motion.
Acting county secretary Mr Paddy Heffernan said decisions made at the council's SPC meetings were set out in reports and minutes from area meetings came back to the council.