Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We are joined by the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with responsibility for local government and planning, Deputy Peter Burke. The opening statement and briefing material have been circulated to members. Today we will commence pre-legislative scrutiny on the general scheme of the local government (directly elected mayor with executive functions in Limerick city & county) Bill 2021. First, I will ask the Minister of State for his opening statement and then members be will invited members to address their questions.

Members attending remotely within the Leinster House complex are protected by absolute privilege. This means they have absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they say in the meeting. However, they are expected not to abuse this privilege. I remind members of the constitutional requirements that members must be physically present within the confines of the place where Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House and the convention centre. For witnesses attending remotely, there are some limitations to parliamentary privilege. As such, they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as a person who is physically present does. The opening statements submitted to the committee will be published on the committee website after this meeting.

I welcome the Minister of State to the committee. We will commence pre-legislative scrutiny on the directly elected mayor Bill, an important and possibly landmark moment in Irish democracy, where we look at directly electing a mayor with real powers in the areas of transport, housing and planning. Where we see a lot of that power vested in county chief executives at the moment, the directly elected mayor would obviously take on some of those powers. I invite the Minister of State to make his opening statement.