Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 24:

In page 22, lines 2 and 3, to delete "twice in each year at intervals of not less than 5, and not more than 7, months" and substitute "three times in each year at intervals of not more than 4 months".

This amendment changes the numbers of meetings required of the consultative forum.The amendment proposes to delete "twice in each year at intervals of not less than 5, and not more than 7, months" and substitute "three times in each year at intervals of not more than 4 months". This change is to ensure that the mayoral and government consultative forum meets at least three times a year with a view to ensuring greater transparency and regularity in these meetings.

Amendment No. 27 intends to delete "comments and observations" and substitute "comments, observations and potential amendments". This is an important amendment. It is important that with the transition to a democratically elected mayor, our commitment to local democracy and the role of local councillors does not become diluted. As such, it is important that councillors have more opportunity than to just comment and observe within a meeting. To protect local democracy, it is important that the power to table amendments to the programme is considered. That is a really important amendment.

Amendment No. 28 provides that "The Mayor shall, before finalising the Mayoral programme, undertake a process of non-statutory public consultation with the people of Limerick City and County regarding the Mayoral programme.". The reason we have included that amendment is that it gives an opportunity for the electorate to consider a mayoral programme that we believe will enhance local democracy. The mayoral role is an elected role and the request for public consultation reflects the democratic nature of the role. As we said clearly on Committee Stage, we are not looking for statutory consultation but for consultation in which people can get involved in order that we do not have to go through the process required for a statutory consultation.

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