Practical training for Irish local authorities: autumn 2026 course dates

Local authority teams carry significant legal, regulatory and public-facing responsibilities.

Staff may need to investigate alleged offences, gather evidence, interview witnesses, prepare prosecution files, manage complaints and give evidence in court. They must also apply complex legislation consistently while dealing professionally with members of the public.

Effective training must therefore go beyond explaining the law. It should give staff practical skills that they can apply confidently in their day-to-day roles.

La Touche Training works with local authorities throughout Ireland to deliver practical, legally informed training for enforcement officers, investigators, wardens, managers, administrative teams and other public-sector professionals.

Training designed around local authority responsibilities

Our local authority programmes cover areas including:

• Planning and environmental enforcement.
• Investigation planning and evidence gathering.
• Investigative interviewing.
• Statement and report writing.
• Courtroom and oral hearing skills.
• Accident investigations and root cause analysis.
• Internet and social media investigations.
• Complaints and employment investigations.
• Conflict management and de-escalation.
• Dog, litter and community warden responsibilities.

Courses are delivered by experienced legal and subject-matter specialists. Small group sizes, realistic case studies, practical exercises and role-play help participants move from understanding a concept to applying it.

Feedback from local authority and public-sector participants consistently highlights the relevance of the content, the practical delivery and the knowledge of our trainers.

Featured investigation courses for autumn 2026

Advanced Accident Investigations

28 and 29 September 2026 | Online | Two days | €795

Accident investigations should do more than establish what happened. They should identify underlying causes, support corrective action and help prevent a similar incident from happening again.

The Advanced Accident Investigations course covers the Irish legal framework, evidence preservation, witness interviewing, statement drafting, root cause analysis and investigation report writing.

It is relevant to local authority health and safety personnel, risk managers, line managers and anyone responsible for investigating workplace accidents or incidents.

View the Advanced Accident Investigations course.

Investigative Interviewing using the PEACE Model

29 and 30 September | In person, Dublin | Two days | €850

The quality of an investigation depends heavily on the quality of the information gathered.

Our Investigative Interviewing course gives participants a structured framework for planning, conducting and evaluating interviews using the internationally recognised PEACE Model.

Participants learn how to interview witnesses, complainants and subjects fairly and effectively. The programme includes realistic interview exercises with professional actors, followed by individual feedback.

The course is suitable for local authority investigators, enforcement officers, HR teams, compliance professionals and managers responsible for conducting formal investigations.

View the Investigative Interviewing course.

Open Source Internet Investigations

30 September and 1 October | Online | Two half-days | €795

Publicly available online information can play an important role in planning, environmental, workplace, regulatory and enforcement investigations.

The Open Source Internet Investigations course provides practical training on finding, assessing and recording information from websites, social media, online databases and other public sources.

Participants learn search techniques, online investigation planning, evidence capture, digital image investigation and the legal considerations relevant to online enquiries.

View the Open Source Internet Investigations course.

Further public training dates for local authority teams

Local authority staff can also book places on the following autumn programmes.

October 2026

• 2 October: Conflict Management and De-Escalation Skills. This one-day online course helps public-facing staff recognise aggression, assess risk and manage challenging interactions professionally.
• 7 and 8 October: Dealing with Derelict Sites. This two-day programme covers the Derelict Sites Act 1990, evidence, procedure, statutory notices, compulsory purchase, oral hearings and courtroom skills.
• 23 October: Complaints Handling and Investigation Management. This one-day course covers early complaint resolution, investigation planning, interviewing, findings, recommendations and report writing.

November 2026

• 3 November: Understanding and Overcoming Unconscious Bias. This half-day online course helps participants recognise how bias can affect workplace decisions and apply practical bias-checking measures.
• 5 November: Overview of Environmental Law. This one-day online programme examines Irish and EU environmental law and the enforcement responsibilities of local authorities.
• 5 and 6 November: Employment Investigations and Disciplinary Procedures. This practical two-day programme covers fair procedures, evidence, investigative interviews, report writing and disciplinary processes.
• 6 November: Dog Warden Training. This one-day online course covers dog control legislation, enforcement powers, complaints, evidence gathering and prosecution files.
• 11 and 12 November: Community Warden Training. This programme addresses legislation, evidence gathering, record keeping, report writing, prosecution files and giving evidence.
• 11 and 12 November: Litter Warden Training. This two-day course develops the legal, investigative and courtroom skills required to enforce litter legislation.
• 12 November: Courtroom Skills for Local Authority Prosecutions. Participants learn how to prepare for court, present clear evidence and manage cross-examination through practical exercises.
• 18, 19, 25 and 26 November: Investigation and Enforcement for Planning Officers. This four-day programme covers planning legislation, enforcement powers, evidence, written statements, prosecution files and giving evidence in court.
• 18, 19, 25 and 26 November: Investigation and Enforcement for Environmental Officers. This four-day online programme covers environmental legislation, evidence gathering, interviewing, written evidence and courtroom skills.
• 27 November: Overview of Planning Law. This one-day online course provides a practical introduction to the Irish planning and development framework.

Public courses or tailored in-house training

Public courses are a practical option when one or two staff members need training in a particular area. Participants also benefit from discussing challenges and approaches with colleagues from other organisations.

Where several employees require training, an in-house programme may provide better value and greater consistency across the team.

La Touche Training can work with your local authority to:

• Identify training requirements across departments and roles.
• Adapt course content to relevant policies, procedures and operational responsibilities.
• Use scenarios and case studies that reflect the work participants carry out.
• Deliver training online or in person.
• Build a structured programme covering investigation, written evidence and courtroom skills.
• Provide refresher or advanced training for experienced personnel.

Individual modules can also be combined to create a programme for a particular department, including planning, environment, housing, HR, community services or enforcement.

Plan your local authority training

Whether you need to book individual staff members onto a public course or develop a tailored programme for a full team, La Touche Training can help you identify the most relevant approach.

Places on public courses are limited to support practical participation and individual feedback.

View our local authority courses or contact La Touche Training to discuss an in-house training programme for your organisation.

Course information, fees and availability may change. Please check the relevant course page when booking.