Dáil debates

Wednesday, 23 November 2016

Local Government (Mayor and Regional Authority of Dublin) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members]

 

6:05 pm

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Minister, Deputy Leo Varadkar, said we have to work on this over the next few years. I do not think we have years to do it. We need to sort this issue out before this Parliament closes. We have months, not years to get this right.

Several Deputies asked if we would have a strong assembly or authority representing the city with a mayor on top of that and then local district councils below it. Deputy John Lahart said our representation of 15 members in an authority should be larger and more representative. Deputy Ruth Coppinger also agreed but said it should have 40 members. Once one goes over 15 members, one is into an assembly, a single city assembly which is a real democratic council for the whole city. That is the choice we have to make. Our Bill has made the right choice in keeping the four existing local authorities. They are embedded and have worked to different degrees. If we rank them, I think Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council would come last. Maybe that is because I am living there. The others, Fingal, Dublin City Council and South Dublin have worked well.

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