Professor Deiric Ó Broin:

I was struck by some of the earlier points made on additional powers. There is some low-hanging fruit. I would have thought there were issues around education through the education and training boards that already have a strong local government link as well as a strong structured link to local government since 1930.

There are areas there where a directly elected mayor could have been more directly involved. That is a straightforward matter that does not involve a massive conversation with the Department of Education because a structure that works on a local authority basis is in place.

Unemployment blackspots were mentioned. There is definitely an issue in that regard and such approaches tend to be delivered through national programmes, such as the social inclusion and community activation programme. That programme is managed by the Department on a national basis but it is contracted locally. The local contract holder for Limerick, if memory serves, is the Limerick local community development committee. A number of millions of euro are provided annually for the programme. A directly elected mayor could have significant input into shaping how that is spent. He or she would not necessarily have an input on a contract because that is awarded under a national tender and procurement process, but the mayor could have an input on its operation within the city and county boundaries. Ms Ryan is correct. The implementation advisory group highlighted some fairly straightforward areas where this could be done quickly. Some of these matters go back to the late 1980s, including the task force on the integration of local government and local development services. That was more than 23 years ago and we are still having a similar conversation. The same proposals are being put forward but it is not being done.

I am not sure if that is an answer to Deputy Cian O'Callaghan's question but there are areas in which it could be delivered fairly straightforwardly. That is something at which the committee could look. Where is control vested locally? The education and training board could provide access to further education and skills development, which fits into the thinking around project Limerick industrial policy. There is definitely space for a much more integrated approach.