Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Lahart for brining forward this Bill. Critical to this debate is the amendment the Minister of State has tabled. It gives us an opportunity not only to tease out the specifics of the role we would like the directly elected mayor to have but also to ensure we are not just talking about Dublin. As a former mayor of Fingal, whose local authority was responsible for derailing the directly elected mayor process two years ago, I believe the rationale given by the councillors in the chamber on the day in question was very well thought out. The councillors' concerns included concern over the diminution of their responsibility. That is a perfectly understandable position for them to adopt. I would not like to see a directly elected mayor introduced in the city and county of Dublin to the detriment of the role and responsibility of local authority members.

I welcome the comments by Deputies Lahart and Cassells in so far as they outlined some of the portfolio increases they would like to see provided to local authority members and the office of mayor. In line with those broad brush strokes of agreement in A Programme for a Partnership Government, there has to be consideration of the devolution of responsibility across a number of areas that are not currently under the remit of local authorities. I refer to devolution of responsibility by certain Departments. If we want a truly effective head of local government for our area, he or she must be elected and not be a public servant, with the greatest of respect to our current county and city managers. I have a great relationship with my local CEO, who has really brought life to the CEO's office in Fingal. We must also bear in mind the improved responsibility of councillors.

Let us be honest about the fact that, as Members of this House, we are only too aware of what happens when one puts a chain around the neck of a councillor. He or she starts having notions or aspiring to get into this office.

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