THE ELECTION of a Dublin mayor next year will be the most significant change in Irish local government since the 19th century, Minister for the Environment, John Gormley, has said on publication of the Bill to give effect to the move.
Insisting that the mayor would not cost the taxpayer an additional cent, the Minister said the citizens of the Dublin region would elect a local government leader equipped with a democratic mandate unsurpassed in the history of the city.
“The mayor will be elected to drive improvements and efficiencies in the region’s local government, and will champion Dublin, at home and abroad, as a good place to live, work and invest. The mayor will also deliver significantly strengthened leadership for the city and region, with enhanced accountability and a direct connection with the citizen, thereby reinvigorating local government.”
Mr Gormley said the costs involved in establishing the new office would be met entirely from within existing local government resources.
“The mayor will act to improve service provision for the citizens and businesses of Dublin, and save money by encouraging the achievement of efficiencies and by enhancing coherence across local government.
“Dublin’s business community has long pressed for the introduction of a directly elected mayor for exactly these reasons,” he said.
The Minister added that the introduction of the Dublin mayor was being done in tandem with efficiency and saving measures being pursued across the local government sector arising from the report of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group. In Dublin alone these savings were estimated at €40 million a year.
Mr Gormley said the mayor would work with local government in Dublin, and the wider public service, to deliver for the Dublin region and would have a uniquely strong combination of popular mandate, authority and range of formal powers to ensure a key role in shaping Dublin’s future.
“The mayor will have a substantial suite of powers to establish a vision for Dublin, and to ensure that vision is attained. He or she will develop and oversee policy for the Dublin region in land-use planning, housing, waste management, and water services.”
The Minister said the mayor would also have an important role in transport and traffic management, to ensure improved co-ordination between spatial development and transport policy.
The mayor would also have powers to oversee implementation of the policies he or she laid down with the support of a revamped Dublin Regional Authority. This would include a role in the annual budgetary process for the Dublin local authorities and power to direct any of the four authorities.
Mr Gormley said the mayor would be supported by a relatively small office.
Fine Gael Environment spokesman Phil Hogan accused Mr Gormley of failing to come clean on how much the office would cost, how much the mayor would get paid and what tax hikes were on the way for Dublin residents.
“Official documents released to Fine Gael from Fingal County Council put the cost of the Dublin mayor at €8 million a year.”
