John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

I intend to take Questions Nos. 7 and 43 together.

The introduction of a directly elected mayor for Dublin will deliver significantly strengthened leadership for the city and region, with enhanced accountability and a direct connection with the citizen. The mayor will have a powerful role in setting out strategic policy across Dublin and oversight of operational implementation. He or she will also have a strong mandate to integrate the activities of local government and the wider public service in and across Dublin.

The mayor's powers will include the capacity to ensure that activities across the Dublin region's local authorities are consistent with the regional strategic framework. In addition, I have agreed with the Minister for Transport that the mayor will have a strong role in relation to transport planning in Dublin. The mayor will chair a greater Dublin area transport council within the national transport authority, responsible for approving and monitoring the implementation of the key transport plans for Dublin - the greater Dublin area transport strategy and strategic traffic management plan. In doing so the mayor will be well placed to ensure coherence between Dublin's spatial and transport planning. I have this week published additional draft heads of the Dublin Mayor Bill and regional authority on my Department's website.

It is my intention that the election of the mayor will take place this year. The general scheme of the legislation to provide for the mayor was published on my Department's website in February, as an opportunity for further consultation before its finalisation and to facilitate early implementation of the Bill's provisions once enacted. The Bill is currently being drafted by the Parliamentary Counsel as a matter of priority.

I met with representatives of the Opposition parties on 4 March and briefed them on the mayor's functions and responsibilities. My Department is also engaging with the Dublin local authorities to make the necessary practical and operational preparations for the mayor's election and introduction. I look forward to the introduction of the Bill to the Oireachtas as soon as possible.

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