Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 May 2010
7 Deputy Alan Shatter asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he will bring legislation on the setting up of a directly elected mayor for Dublin to the Houses of the Oireachtas; when he expects to hold an election; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22367/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra43 Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment; Heritage and Local Government when he plans to bring legislation in regard to the direct election of a mayor of Dublin before Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22246/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraI intend to take Questions Nos. 7 and 43 together.
The introduction of a directly elected mayor for Dublin will deliver significantly strengthened leadership for the city and region, with enhanced accountability and a direct connection with the citizen. The mayor will have a powerful role in setting out strategic policy across Dublin and oversight of operational implementation. He or she will also have a strong mandate to integrate the activities of local government and the wider public service in and across Dublin.
The mayor's powers will include the capacity to ensure that activities across the Dublin region's local authorities are consistent with the regional strategic framework. In addition, I have agreed with the Minister for Transport that the mayor will have a strong role in relation to transport planning in Dublin. The mayor will chair a greater Dublin area transport council within the national transport authority, responsible for approving and monitoring the implementation of the key transport plans for Dublin — the greater Dublin area transport strategy and strategic traffic management plan. In doing so the mayor will be well placed to ensure coherence between Dublin's spatial and transport planning. I have this week published additional draft heads of the Dublin Mayor Bill and regional authority on my Department's website.
It is my intention that the election of the mayor will take place this year. The general scheme of the legislation to provide for the mayor was published on my Department's website in February, as an opportunity for further consultation before its finalisation and to facilitate early implementation of the Bill's provisions once enacted. The Bill is currently being drafted by the Parliamentary Counsel as a matter of priority.
I met with representatives of the Opposition parties on 4 March and briefed them on the mayor's functions and responsibilities. My Department is also engaging with the Dublin local authorities to make the necessary practical and operational preparations for the mayor's election and introduction. I look forward to the introduction of the Bill to the Oireachtas as soon as possible.
We have not been given any new information by the Minister. It will be October by the time the legislation is published and brought through the Houses. There will be no mayoral election before the end of October and it will hardly be held in December so that leaves November if the Minister wishes to hold the election this year. Has there been agreement in Government to hold the election this year? The Dublin Chamber of Commerce was initially very positive about the heads of the Bill when published. How does the Minister envisage the relationship between the directly elected Dublin Mayor and the other four local authorities?
The Deputy will know that there is Government agreement because it is set out in the renewed programme for Government.
No, it is not.
It clearly says 2010 there.
As regards the Deputy's other question, I met members of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and they are the very people who have been calling for quite some time for the introduction of a mayor for the Dublin region. I am happy to be the Minister to deliver that. I wish to engage further with the Dublin Chamber of Commerce to ensure that it meets with its requirements. I understand the chamber sees this as a driving force for a competitive Dublin which can compete with the likes of Munich, Paris or London. We have seen the dynamic effect of having directly elected mayors in those particular regions. That is the most important aspect. We must now see cities as driving forces for the regions themselves. That will be the centrepiece of the White Paper.
The Deputy also asked about the relationship of the mayor with the four local authorities. That was clearly set out in the heads of the legislation.
No, it was not.
We said that the mayor would have an overarching role. It is similar to the relationship that exists in London.
That is different.
The London model has various boroughs with councillors in place and the mayor interacts with them, as well as interacting with an assembly that can question the mayor and hold him to account. The same sort of model will apply here.
In the absence of a specific date, could we end up with a situation where the legislation is going through the House, a date has been decided and the campaign is taking place on the doorsteps at the same time? The Minister is indicating that the election will take place before Christmas. It is quite a big Bill, although only the heads have been completed at this stage. It would be bizarre to debate legislation about a post that has yet to be created while an election is taking place.
Deputy Hogan referred earlier to the local authorities in Dublin. Any new position in politics requires power to be derived from or put into that post. The Bill is unclear as to where those powers will be appropriated from. They can either come from councillors or managers. Can the Minister clarify where he sees those mayoral powers coming from?
I will be very clear about it. I have met with councillors on a number of occasions and I have said that I see the powers coming from the managers. That is clearly the case and I have stated so on a number of occasions.
As to the Deputy's initial point, it is up to the political parties to decide when they want to campaign. They can select their candidates and start campaigning now if they wish. I do not determine the behaviour of political parties or individual candidates, but I do hope that we will get the very best candidates in the field, be they from political parties or independents. I look forward to a stimulating campaign and a good debate about the future of this city.
According to a front page article in the Irish Independent, Fianna Fáil have proposals for a shake-up of local government, including changing the role of local authorities and replacing town councils.
They are at it again.
Has the Minister received a copy of that document or is Fianna Fáil keeping it to itself?
This is about the mayoralty of Dublin. I call an tAire.
I am happy to answer, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. It shows that the Cabinet committee dealing with the White Paper is active and is doing a lot of work.
It is leaking.
I was intrigued by the story. It is always interesting when one sees one's work being discussed in detail. I cannot comment on whether it is accurate because it is never a good thing to comment on leaks. I can say, however, that the White Paper will be a radical document. It may not find favour with all parties, including councillors, but it will be transformative. It is certainly unprecedented.
If it does not find favour with councillors, it will not affect the Minister.
It will. If one were to go on what Deputy Tuffy has said, we do have quite a number of town councillors. We actually increased the number of town councillors, believe it or not.
It took the Minister a while to dig up that one. He had to dig deep.
