Sir, – The reforms proposed by Minister for Local Government Phil Hogan may well be necessary for cutting down on expense and unnecessary bureaucracy. But there is no doubt that they are further eroding local democracy.
In this regard, why is Dublin to be the only city or town to have the option of a directly elected mayor? Not only do mayors personify the cities and towns they represent – as is particularly evident in New York, Chicago and London – they provide a useful channel for citizens to express frustrations and suggest improvements to urban areas. Furthermore, the process of electing mayors provides an opportunity for citizens to debate the future of their cities and towns.
Other cities in Ireland should certainly have the same opportunity as Dublin to elect mayors. But town councils are being abolished, and local authorities are being merged and centralised. To compensate, it would be of enormous value to smaller towns to elect mayors who are empowered to make specific proposals to the newly enlarged authorities, as well as represent the citizens in other capacities. Towns such as Enniscorthy, Bandon, Ballinasloe and Westport have populations of under 10,000, but would surely benefit from elected mayors. Many people would welcome the opportunity to represent their towns as mayor, whether on a full-time paid basis or even a part-time voluntary basis.
I believe that smaller Irish towns have shown signs of neglect for many years, and that the introduction of directly elected mayors would provide them with a valuable boost. – Yours, etc,