Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are 58 days away from the local elections. One of the key votes on the day will be in the plebiscite on directly elected mayors. This week we have had reporting of Cabinet Ministers saying the proposal could lead to an over-concentration of control. There is an over-concentration of control; it has continued for 121 years in the Custom House. Even more concerning are the observations of the Attorney General, Mr. Seamus Woulfe, on the transfer of powers from the executive to the elected members and in raising a flag about the loss of expertise, which, if reported correctly, are extremely worrying from the point of view of the suppression of the advancement of local democracy. We all know that there is no loss of expertise or jobs; it is all about who is accountable to the public for policy.

The Attorney General also observed that the proposals for the plebiscite should be sent for further legal advice and further policy consideration. Does the Taoiseach share the Attorney General's views on directly elected mayors? What is the timeframe - if the proposals are to be sent for further consideration - for the start of the information campaign mentioned by the Taoiseach yesterday? We are eight weeks away from polling day. If there is not at the very least a very basic understanding of the proposals, they are destined to fail, which would be disastrous for local democracy. Let us not give the people a Mayor Quimby solution but the first step to real reform.

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