Cyprian Brady (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I welcome this legislation. We are now mature enough in Dublin city and county to have this debate on the legislation. In the past, we were not ready for such a debate. As Deputy Cuffe pointed out, every major European and international city has a directly elected mayor. The programme for Government committed to introducing a directly elected mayor for Dublin with extensive executive powers. This Bill confers those powers on the proposed mayor.

The mayor will have a regional role. The greater Dublin region covered by the four existing Dublin local authorities has a vast and varied number of acquired services and needs. What is needed is an individual strong enough to pull the various strands of local government together. That will require a strong co-ordination of personnel, equipment, facilities and assets.

While never having the privilege of being a local authority member, I spent 20 years working closely with staff at all levels in Dublin City Council. The expertise, the experience and commitment the majority of these people bring to their jobs must be admired. Since the break-up of the old Dublin Corporation structure into four local authorities, my experience with Dublin City Council has been positive. The change from a one-size-fits-all corporation structure which covered a vast area and population brought local government down on to the streets of Dublin. I recall the then Dublin City Manager, Mr. John Fitzgerald, opened local council offices around the city, the best move a council ever made. It meant Dublin's citizens no longer had to go over to Civic Offices with its massive bureaucracy and from which it was difficult to get answers to questions. Despite the representations of some very able councillors at the time, it was always a matter of the corporation being over on City Quay and the council being over on the North side and never the two shall meet. The regionalisation of Dublin's local authority structure, the opening of local offices and the appointment of senior management with responsibility for each area, working in each area with the officials available to the residents in those areas was a great step forward for local government which has proved effective.

In my area of Dublin Central, for instance, Dublin City Council has no less than six or seven different regular community forums, at least once a month. At those meetings, representatives of residents' associations and communities have direct contact with council officials, whereas previously they had found it difficult to have such meetings. There is a responsibility on the officials to deliver because they face the people every day. In my district, the area office for Dublin City Council is probably one of the busiest buildings in the city, with people coming in and out all the time. The officials work extremely hard in difficult circumstances to provide a very good service.

This legislation will put somebody strong in place with responsibility for the whole region, which will be one of the keys to its success. Some of the powers that will be conferred by this legislation will be robust. They include responsibility for establishing and overseeing the future physical development of Dublin city and region by setting out regional planning guidelines, which the Dublin local authorities must abide by. The powers also include responsibility for ensuring the delivery of an environmentally sustainable approach to waste management, as well as responsibility for maximising conservation and the efficient use of water resources. In addition, the legislation envisages conferring responsibility for leading and promoting a dynamic city region at home and abroad, as well as championing Dublin abroad. One of the best results of having a lord mayor in Dublin is that the office will represent the city abroad on a regular basis. I have first-hand experience of how effective that is. When councillors travel abroad, it is a huge bonus to be accompanied by the city's lord mayor.

The elected lord mayor will also have responsibility for promoting quality housing and sustainable communities, as well as protecting and enhancing Dublin's environment. That is a major issue, particularly in Dublin city.

When one examines the details of the Bill there are obviously a number of concerns. Given my experience with Dublin City Council, one of my concerns is how the powers of the new mayor will impact on the role of directly-elected councillors. Councillors have played a major part in the life of the city and as the previous speaker said, we have had several strong city councillors over the years. Before the dual mandate was abolished the role of a local representative in Dublin Central was hugely effective. Many individuals played an important role in the development of the city as it is today. Councillors bring a local community emphasis to bear on how Dublin City Council does its business.

My fear is that this local emphasis may be lost if an individual, who may have an affinity for one area over another, was to take up the position of mayor. In such circumstances, that understanding of local issues could be lost. The Minister should examine that matter in the context of this legislation.

Another concern is about resources. Previous speakers referred to the unprecedented economic position we are in at the moment. The Minister has indicated that the office of mayor will not be an additional cost to the taxpayer and that the costs will be met entirely from within existing local government resources. However, local authorities are now cutting back on services, and drastically in some cases. I would not like to think that much needed funds to sustain basic services were being redirected to other areas. This issues arises in the context of what is being proposed in the legislation.

The Bill marks a significant shift in power within local government, so it must be handled extremely carefully. It is envisaged that the mayor will strengthen local government leadership and accountability in Dublin. It will also provide Dublin's local government with greater scope to innovate and develop regionally and locally, and to respond to local challenges. As a result of the Bill, there should also be greater coherence between the four Dublin local authorities and the regional authority concerning future policies, strategies and actions.

I welcome the opportunity to have this debate on a mayor for Dublin. Foreign cities have demonstrated how important it is to have somebody as a figurehead for a city. In that regard, I welcome the publication of the Bill.

See this speech in context