Dáil debates

Thursday, 11 November 2010

Local Government (Mayor and Regional Authority of Dublin) Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed)

 

12:00 pm

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

The Mayor will also have a role in the annual budgetary process for the Dublin local authorities and a power to direct any of the four Dublin local authorities - directions which must be complied with. I love the word, "must" here. I hope it happens.

In the normal course, the Mayor will work in partnership with the Dublin local authorities, and the need to issue a direction is unlikely. I wonder. However, the Mayor will have the facility to do so should the need arise. It is a pity Deputy O'Connor is not in the Chamber. He said he is not interested in being Mayor. I hope whoever gets the position will be a man or woman of courage, take these necessary decisions and fulfil his or her role in that area.

The introduction of the Dublin Mayor is just one of many changes to local government, including the forthcoming White Paper on local government. That reform is badly needed. I spoke to the Minister this morning and I will have further meetings with him on the roll-out of elections for mayors or cathaoirligh in other towns and cities throughout the country.

The Bill also provides for a review of the objectives and functions of the Dublin Regional Authority not later than two years after the authority has been set up. I would say one year would be a more appropriate time. The authority will be responsible for adopting plans proposed by the Mayor, but subject to a procedure which allows for mayoral adoption where the Mayor considers an inappropriate plan would be adopted, and it will oversee, advise and provide a forum for the Mayor to account for his or her actions. The Mayor will, ultimately, account for his or her actions to the electorate every five years, which is very important. This is unlike the situation of managers who are appointed and often re-appointed.

In that regard, I pay tribute to Mr. Ned O'Connor, our manager in South Tipperary, who is about to retire next year. He has given long and dedicated service to South Tipperary County Council and to the public.

The new authority will provide a direct and ongoing institutional link between the major Dublin local authorities and the Mayor. Joined-up thinking is a buzz-word but we badly need it. This development will be useful. We will watch closely to see if it happens, and I hope it will. We are told anything is possible under the Croke Park agreement. I am not talking about Tipperary beating Kilkenny in the All-Ireland hurling final, which we did. We will be celebrating that tonight in the county, north and south. We already have joined-up thinking in Tipperary.

The authority will develop the Dublin region in a manner which contributes to environmental sustainability, economic progress, social cohesion and the cultural vitality of the region. This will, at long last, give the ratepayers - mainly business people and property owners - some bang for their buck. At the end of a period of office they can reject the first citizen if they are not happy with the situation. Anyone who meets ratepayers on a daily basis knows they are not happy with the way their money is being spent. In many cases the money is not spent efficiently, although it is hard-earned by business people, and is another added charge with which they cannot cope. They do not mind paying charges if they are getting proper services, value for money and some appreciation of the effort they put in to earn the income to pay those rates.

There must be a clear, transparent and user-friendly system embodied in the set-up of the new position. The Mayor will promote the Dublin region efficiently and cleverly and to the benefit of society. Other mayors will promote their respective regions in due course.

The Mayor and regional authority will work closely with the four major Dublin local authorities in pursuing these objectives. I wonder how this transition will work. When I became a member of South Tipperary County Council in 1991, we had a county manager, a county engineer, a country secretary and a finance officer. Now, we have a manager and six directors of services with whole teams around them. We have become too bureaucratic and too much power is vested in these people. Elected councillors, or Deputies, do not have a say.

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