Dubliners could vote for a directly-elected Mayor in 2019
Mayor would have powers in housing, land use and planning, transport, waste management
The Green Party’s Local Government (Mayor and Regional Authority of Dublin) Bill 2016, which legislates for a directly-elected Mayor of Dublin, will be debated in the Dáil next Wednesday. The bill, which mirrors the 2010 Bill introduced by the Green Party and Fianna Fáil, would create an office with powers to set housing and transport strategies for the city.
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan TD said today: “This bill provides a real chance of making a directly-elected Mayor of Dublin a reality in time for the 2019 election cycle. Now, more than ever, we need strong leadership to tackle the housing and transport crises facing our city. At present, we have 4 local authorities, 4 chief executives, 4 mayors, 183 councillors, and countless State agencies in Dublin, often competing against each other. It is time we got the development of urban Ireland right and directly elect a Mayor with a vision to take on that task. Our cities need real political leadership, and that means the office of Mayor cannot remain a ceremonial role.
“Our bill mirrors the powers given to the London Mayor and is relatively cheap and easy to introduce as it involves working with rather than dismantling the existing four Dublin local authorities. The directly-elected Mayor would head a new regional authority for the city, and would have a vital role in planning and managing how the city is going to work and grow.
“We have been investigating the idea of a directly-elected Mayor for almost twenty years. It’s now time for action. We want to give every Dubliner a vote for a directly-elected Mayor in 2019. All parties are supportive of the creation of this office, and we are happy to work with them to make it a reality. We cannot put real local Government reform on the long finger anymore.”
Information on the Local Government (Mayor and Regional Authority of Dublin) Bill 2016:
The Bill is a revised and updated version of the bill that had completed committee stage in December 2010. It had been championed in Government by the Green Party and would have given effect to a long held core Green policy. The Bill proposed to establish a new Regional Authority of Dublin and a directly elected office of Mayor of Dublin to sit above the existing four Dublin Local Authorities in a coordinating and leadership role within certain defined strategic policy areas.
- Land-use planning
- Housing
- Transport
- Waste management
The bill establishes an a administrative relationship between the new Mayor and Authority in such way as the new offices work through, and with, existing local government structures. The bill enhances local democracy by ensuring that strategic policy decisions for the Greater Dublin Area are taken at the most effective local level. The bill gives every Dubliner a say in how their city develops and creates the administrative architecture to deliver a city that is an attractive place to live with compact urban development and sustainable communities set within a high quality, well-protected environment providing the accommodation, transport, and waste infrastructure necessary to meet the city’s current and future needs. The bill gives Dublin a champion on the national and international stage, and ensures the city can compete with other well established global cities for investment, for jobs, for tourism and for global recognition as a distinct entity.