Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

May I comment on the issue of cathaoirligh not being present? I agree with Deputy Higgins that cathaoirligh can often go further than chief executives might because they have a mandate. Part of the difficulty with their not being present is echoed in the current challenges of the office. The role is highly ceremonial and very much driven by community events and so on. One would not want to see that lost. Could the delegates comment on the community work done by local authorities that is often unheralded and often led by mayors?

I would imagine that none of those concerned feels he or she has a very strong mandate to speak one way or another on the issue of the directly-elected mayor, and that speaks to the weakness of our current local government system.

I have a specific question for Ms Feeney on the issue of the community and the role of the mayor in respect of the local authorities. Councillor Feeney has the challenge of getting councillors to think outside their wards. If councillors are elected by one very small part of the city, is there a challenge in getting them to act on a citywide level or even to contribute their own time and resources? Anybody may contribute on the community aspect.