Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

While in one sense, amendment No. 13 covers a relatively small issue, namely, the appointment of four staff members, it is also critical to the Bill. If the amendment is not agreed to, or if the Minister of State does not address it on Report Stage, we will pass a Bill that will explicitly make the mayor subordinate to the director general in the key function of assembling the staff that will work directly with him or her. That really is not tolerable. That is not a comment on the chief executive in Limerick, of whom I have no knowledge. I am thinking of the local authorities that I deal with. I have, for example, many interactions with the chief executive of Fingal County Council. In a similar situation to this, I would have no hesitation in saying that I know the chief executive would not abuse something like this; far from it; she would try to resource a directly elected mayor well. Yet, we could not say with confidence that in all situations regarding future personnel, etc., that would not happen. Even if they do not, for them to have that power imbalance to write legislation where that power imbalance is gifted to a director general so that the mayor is somewhat in debt to the director general for assigning the best people to those roles. That is a terrible way to start that relationship between the directly elected mayor and the director general. Even in the best of circumstances, it is a power imbalance that we should not accept or tolerate. It is clear-cut and it does need to change.

If the Minister of State is not able to accept the amendment now, I would ask that it be changed on Report Stage.