Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

This is a discussion about whether a mayor who is directly elected by the people of Limerick will be able to appoint the staff in his or her immediate office. We are talking about five staff. There is no city anywhere in the world in which the directly elected mayor cannot appoint his or her own staff. The norm is that directly elected mayors are responsible for the appointment and management of all staff in the entire local authority area or city of which they are the mayor. This is a discussion about the five staff in the office of the mayor of Limerick. It is not about being cautious or overcautious. It is the absolute height of conservatism that we are even discussing whether a directly elected mayor may appoint the staff in his or her own office without the permission of or consultation with the director general. It is off the charts that this discussion is even taking place. The approach to this is highly conservative. The Bill needs to go way further in many directions but the fact the Government will not budge on this very confined issue of a directly elected mayor appointing his or her own staff without having to consult is incredibly regressive. It is great if there are great relationships but, in fact, any directly elected mayor worth his or her salt, no matter how well he or she gets on with people, will fight the corner for the people of the city or county and, therefore, there will be friction. Not to allow the mayor a free hand in appointing the staff in his or her own immediate office is highly regressive.

See this speech in context