Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 October 2016
254. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans for the introduction of a directly elected mayor for the city and county of Dublin; and the work his Department has undertaken on this matter since the consultation with the four Dublin local authorities in 2013. [31729/16]
View answerThe Local Government Reform Act 2014 provided for a process for the holding of a plebiscite on the possible introduction of an office of directly elected mayor for a Dublin metropolitan authority. This procedure was based on achievement of political consensus across the four Dublin local authorities, involving the adoption of a resolution by a majority of each Dublin council for the holding of a plebiscite in relation to proposals set out in the resolution.
In the event, the statutory requirement for the holding of a plebiscite was not met. Subsequently, my predecessor, in a meeting with the mayor/cathaoirleach of the four Dublin authorities on 7 July 2014, invited them to consider and revert with proposals that would address not only the concept of a directly elected mayor but also the wider governance of the metropolitan area including cost and functional implications.
The issue will now be re-examined in accordance with the Programme for a Partnership Government 2016, which includes a commitment to consider directly elected mayors in cities as part of wider potential local government reform measures. The Programme states that, having consulted widely with all relevant stakeholders, a report for Government, and for the Oireachtas, will be prepared by the Minister by mid-2017 on such measures.
Scoping work in relation to the development of proposals to address the range of issues in the Programme is being undertaken by my Department. This will identify the matters to be addressed in the report to be submitted by mid-2017. Decisions will be a matter for the Government and the Oireachtas, as appropriate, following consideration of the report.
