Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Unfortunately, we may have lost the link to Deputy O'Donoghue. We were just at the five-minute mark but I can let Deputy O'Donoghue back in to finish his point later, if he so wishes. It is my slot now.

It is important to reiterate the point the Minister of State and Deputy O'Donoghue made. There is a cost applicable to this, but it also brings tremendous value. For somebody to be directly elected and accountable to the people who elected them is an important part of democracy and will bring great advantage to Limerick.

Head 36 gives rise to an important policy development in that there will be regular meetings involving the directly elected mayor and the Minister regarding the formation of the committee. That gives Limerick an advantage. I hope it will not disadvantage other local authorities, particularly those where public representatives often seek to have direct involvement with the Department and the Minister. What is proposed may also signal to other local authorities that the election of a directly elected mayor brings about a positive development in terms of direct engagement with the Minister. I ask the Minister of State to comment on that.

I also have a question on the finances. Will the directly elected mayor have any input into the setting of rates or into development contribution schemes? The Minister of State can come back to me on that if he wishes.

Deputy Mitchell touched on head 41 in the context of the specific role relating to the development plan process. The Minister of State indicated that the mayor would present the development plan to the elected members to modify or vote on it. We often see the role of the chief executive of a local authority, in terms of the planning staff that prepared the development plan and the response to amendments, as upholding and defending national planning policy on which elected representatives may seek to be as flexible as possible. In the presentation of the development plan, I presume the recommendations that come from the chief executive would be similarly prepared in order for the mayor to present them or to accept or not accept an amendment to the plan.

My final question is on special advisers. Head 22 states that the mayor would have a team of advisers. That is quite right because it is a highly responsible job. Will there be a requirement for those advisers to be qualified or competent in specific areas such as transport, planning, housing, engineering or project management? Given that the candidate will be elected by the people to represent them, it is important that his or her advisers will have that type of experience and ability to advise the mayor as best they can.