Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will go through the points made by Deputy Quinlivan. I am conscious that people voted by plebiscite to bring in a directly elected mayor, but 48% of the people of Limerick had reservations and voted against it. We need to bring those people with us. In regard to staff, we tabled an amendment on Report Stage in the Dáil. This was something that Deputies Quinlivan and Mitchell and others looked for whereby the staff would be selected in consultation with the mayor. The staff remain overall under the responsibility of the DG, just as staff in a Government Department are under the DG of a Department. Furthermore, in regard to staff being appointed, four staff within the local authority are appointed to the mayor's office in consultation with the mayor. It will involve the mayor interviewing with human resources in the council. The mayor can appoint his or her own special adviser, external to the organisation, or if preferred can bring in a person from within the organisation. Some excellent people work in Limerick City and County Council.

The other issue addressed was in grouping 6, on regeneration. It is a point well made. I tabled amendment No. 8 on Report Stage in the Seanad under section 32 of the Bill. I have now put in a specific section. We felt it was covered under section 32(e). Section 32(d) looks at the co-ordination in Limerick of measures giving effect to Government policy concerning the regeneration of towns. I put in the co-ordination of further regeneration in Limerick. That covers all regeneration projects. The legislation itself - again, I return to what the people voted for - is in line with the general scheme. We want it to be put in place to ensure the election can take place on the same day as the local elections. What the people voted for democratically in Limerick will take place.

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