Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Outside the mayor’s office, it has always been the case that the staff fall under the director general. We cannot change that. Staff in the mayor's office are appointed by the director general but on a practical level, the mayor will always be involved in working with human resources in the council on their appointment. We will look at that simple aspect before Report Stage.

Outside the mayor's office, the answer is that staff have to remain, as has always been the case, under the sole remit of the director general.