Directly elected mayors and a lower voting age of 16 in local elections are among the items presented by the Green Party, as it launched its proposals for local government today.
The party has also proposed that elected regional authorities be established using the European constituencies to oversee services such as health, education and transport.
"Real decentralistion doesn't involve moving office blocks from one part of the country to the other. It should involve dismantling decision-making at a national level to allow those decisions to be made at a local community level," said Green TD, Mr Dan Boyle.
"We are convinced that many of the functions currently exercised by our highly-centralised national Government can be most effectively administered at regional level.
"Elected regional authorities could be established using the European constituencies as administrative areas to provide services in health, education, social welfare, transport, regional planning, inland waterways, waste management and elements of policing."
Cllr Ryan Meade, of Dublin City Council, said the party was calling for the reintroduction of plans for directly elected mayors.
"Power must also be transferred from county/city managers alongside the dismantling of legislation designed to hamper the exercise of local decision-making by public representatives," he said.
