Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh.

I thank Deputy Lahart for introducing this Bill. Sinn Féin will be happily supporting it today and on later Stages. We always start these debates by saying we have one of the most centralised local government systems in Europe, as is the case. It is very often the case that politicians lament over-centralisation when in opposition but when they get into government their willingness to devolve power from central government Departments or State agencies to local government seems to evaporate. While we often bemoan the power of city and county managers, and now chief executives, we must realise they have that power because the Government has vested it in them and has decided against real devolution of power to elected members.

Sinn Féin has long been of the view that directly elected mayors should be an integral part of local government reform. I refer to real local government reform through devolving powers and functions downwards. It is on that basis that we are happy to support Deputy Lahart's Bill.

As somebody who, like other Deputies, participated in former Minister Phil Hogan's consultation, as it was called, I noted that one of the great difficulties we all had was that we were debating in a vacuum. We were being asked as local councillors whether we supported the proposition of holding a plebiscite on a directly elected mayor without having any idea what powers would be devolved to such an institution. I always believed that was a particularly unfair responsibility to give to councillors. In South Dublin County Council, we set out our stall regarding what we believed would be an appropriate way to run such an office. On that basis, we voted in favour of holding the plebiscite but we could completely understand why councillors in Fingal took a contrary view.

In real terms, it is the responsibility of those people arguing for a directly elected mayor to outline what powers they believe such an office should have. One of the merits of the Bill we are debating is that it would allow for that public consultation. People would then know, as a result of a decision of the Oireachtas, what powers would be vested in the office before the plebiscite would be held.

When people talk about directly elected mayors, we hear a lot of rhetoric that there would be a go-to person, a champion or a such person. We need to keep in mind that there is not much public appetite for more politicians or political institutions. Sinn Féin's view is that such an office should have a very limited number of very clear and powerful executive functions, in the first instance so people understand the function of a directly elected mayor rather than a local authority or central government. The second objective would be to give the office and holder of the office a real opportunity to show what added value they can bring to the life of the city. Of course, if they could show, in respect of public transport, tourism or otherwise, that they could do a good job and add value, there could then be a process for rolling devolution as public trust and confidence grew.

There should be no sucking away of powers from local authorities up to such an office. If there is to be a directly elected mayor, power needs to be devolved downwards from central government and State agencies to the office. With that power and those functions, staff and resources need to follow. There would not be much public appetite at this stage for the creation of a new layer of political administration and additional budgets. If one were to make a directly elected mayor responsible for public transport, there would simply be no reason staff and funds from the relevant agencies and Departments could not be moved into the new office so it could fulfil its functions.

It is important to ensure that, if there is such an office, the holder and his or her staff are properly held to account. Very clearly, there is a need for some form of regional assembly, probably appointed in the first instance from the four Dublin local authorities, to hold the officeholder fully to account. One could do that in a relatively cost-neutral way that would also enable the four Dublin local authorities to feel they have a voice and some say in shaping the overall functioning of the office.

The Government amendment is not necessary. The way in which Deputy Lahart has timelined the Bill is such that it fits quite neatly with the work the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Simon Coveney, and his Department will be doing. I presume members of the Joint Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government will be examining this and bringing their findings back to the Dáil.

Most people believe that the citizens of the city and county of Dublin should have their say on whether this office is created and the kinds of power, responsibility and budget that would go with it. On this basis, we are happy to support the Bill and see it through before having the debate with stakeholders that is suggested in the Bill.

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