Dáil debates

Tuesday, 10 June 2014

Topical Issue Debate

Local Government Reform

6:50 pm

Photo of Kevin HumphreysKevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I thank the Minister for taking this issue. The local elections are over and the political landscape has changed. However, the need for a directly elected mayor for Dublin city has not gone away. I know the Minister is strongly committed to this idea. The people of Dublin should be allowed have their say in a plebiscite next year at the same time as the marriage equality referendum. The four local authorities in Dublin cover a population of nearly 1,300,000 people. Dublin is not competing with Cork, Limerick or Galway. It is competing against cities of the world such as London, Singapore, Cape Town and Geneva. Dublin needs a strong, single voice with a mandate. That is why I believe this city needs a directly elected mayor.

We recently completed a process for considering a directly elected mayor as laid out in the Local Government Reform Act 2014. Many said it was doomed to failure from the beginning but the forum of 22 elected councillors tabled a proposal that was overwhelmingly endorsed by councillors of three of four Dublin councils. There were legitimate reasons for Fingal councillors to vote against the proposal for a plebiscite but I do not believe it should be dropped completely. I would have concerns also about splitting the functions of the IDA and Enterprise Ireland under a Dublin mayor but a mayor must have an economic role.

I ask the Minister to call on the mayors and chairs of each of the councils to restart the process. I ask him to meet with them in the next few weeks to see how that process could be started. My reading of the legislation is that it would have to be amended to allow a further vote at council level. I ask the Minister to consider bringing these minor amendments to the House quickly. Failing that, the Government should convene a convention for Dublin modelled on the Constitutional Convention. We need more public debate on what a mayor should do, the powers he or she should have and the elements of transport, housing and environment issues that are so important to this city. We need to bring ordinary citizens together with their councillors, business and community organisations to build support and tease out the problems in a democratic way. All stakeholders should have a say in crafting a proposal to put Dublin, and the people of Dublin, first. Such a convention could address the problems in the original proposal and allow Dubliners to have their say. People want a vote. They were prevented from getting one this year due to a small minority of councillors, but we have the time and space now to rethink and reinvigorate the proposal that can shape the future of our capital city.

I ask the Minister to act in the coming weeks by bringing together the new chairs and mayors of this city who can bring forward a proposal that would allow us directly elect a mayor of our capital city. That would be a progressive move. I believe the Minister is committed to it, and it would be a fine legacy if a plebiscite could take place next year.

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Humphreys for raising this important matter. As he knows, the establishment of a directly elected mayor across the area of the four local authorities in Dublin has been attempted a number of times by Governments over the years, and there have been a number of changes of heart by those Governments, with a lack of structured consultation with local representatives or the people of the Dublin metropolitan area.

Within the framework of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, I provided for the first time a more consultative and bottom-up approach to the creation of an office of directly elected mayor for the metropolitan area of Dublin. The option of a plebiscite remained as had always been envisaged - that is, a local plebiscite allowing the elected councils in the first instance, and the electorate in Dublin secondly, to decide whether Dublin should have a directly elected mayor, and the range of functions for the office.

In recognition of their democratic mandate as local public representatives, and in the best traditions of representative democracy, the elected councillors in Dublin were given a proposal in respect of their vision for an office of directly elected mayor developed by a forum of the elected members from across the Dublin authorities, which was representative of a wide range of political perspectives. Each of the local authorities took its own decision on whether there should be a plebiscite in light of what they felt was best for the area they represent.

There was a clear divergence in the views of Fingal County Council and the other three local authorities in Dublin on the role of a directly elected mayor, leaving us with no consensus on a model for the office that could be put in a plebiscite in tandem with the recent local and European elections on 23 May. In our system of representative democracy, it would have been wrong to ignore the views of Fingal and to put a proposal to the electorate that did not enjoy the support of all four authorities in the region.

My immediate focus has now switched to bedding down the very significant reforms to the local government system generally that have been introduced from 1 June this year. The meetings of 30 of the new councils last Friday were a further welcome step in the reform programme, and I look forward to the completion of meetings of the new municipal district members over the rest of this week and early next week.

The changes we have brought about in local government are the most important changes across the country in more than a century, and their successful implementation will greatly improve local government and the role it plays in representing local communities and in economic, community and social development. However, that is not to say that, following a period of reflection, proposals for a directly elected mayor for Dublin could not be revisited.

I assure Deputy Humphreys and the House that I am committed to the concept of a directly elected mayor for Dublin. The Government remains committed to the notion of a plebiscite for a directly elected mayor for Dublin, and it appears that it is down to me to come up with a fresh initiative in view of the failure of the forum to achieve that consensus. This must take account of the differing views, significant in some respects, among the different local authorities on the role of such an office. Engagement will be required with the four authorities and all relevant Government Departments at a time most likely to maximise the prospects for agreement on a meaningful proposal to put to the electorate, and to maximise the prospects for success in the ballot box.

In that context, consideration would have to be given to not only how an office of a directly elected mayor would impact on functions currently discharged at central government level but also how the existing four Dublin local authorities' remit would be affected by such an office. It is my intention to write to the newly appointed mayors and chairpersons of those local authorities to invite them to a meeting in the Custom House in early July to discuss how working together we can take the directly elected mayor issue forward.

7:00 pm

Photo of Kevin HumphreysKevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I welcome the Minister's statement that he proposes to invite the mayors and chairpersons to a meeting in the Custom House in July to discuss how this issue can be taken forward. I believe it is fundamentally important to Dublin city that a directly elected mayor role be developed. That was the view of the citizens' forum, which included elected councillors, held in the Mansion House by former Lord Mayor Oisín Quinn. As I said earlier, three of the local authorities voted overwhelmingly in favour of a plebiscite. The only local authority not in favour was Fingal County Council, whose legitimate right in that regard I acknowledge. However, one of the fundamental groups not consulted was the citizens of Dublin. Citizens were not given the opportunity to vote for or against a plebiscite. A referendum on another matter is to be held next year. Knowing the work rate of the Minister, Deputy Hogan, I believe he is well capable of achieving consensus on the holding of the plebiscite on a directly elected Lord Mayor. This would require only minor amendment of the relevant legislation or the holding of a convention in Dublin through which we can engage with citizens, small and medium sized businesses and local groups on the drafting of a proposal.

A directly elected mayor of Dublin would have a democratic mandate. From that democratic mandate power could be built. As I said, Dublin is competing on an international basis for inward investment. A directly elected mayor for Dublin, representing 1.3 million people, will allow Dublin to compete on an international scale in attracting foreign direct investment into the city. We face enormous challenges in terms of sustainable development, employment, arts, culture, housing and flood protection in Dublin city. These issues can be best addressed by a directly elected mayor for the city.

I welcome that the Minister proposes to issue an invitation to the chairpersons of the four councils. I look forward to that process being built upon quickly so that a plebiscite on the election of a mayor for Dublin city can take place in the middle of next year. I believe this will add to the economic recovery not only of Dublin city but the country. It should not be forgotten that more than 50% of all taxation raised is raised from within in the greater Dublin city area. Anything that allows us to attract more foreign direct investment must be welcomed.

I again welcome the Minister's commitment and look forward to an engagement with the citizens of Dublin on the issue of the holding of a plebiscite on a directly elected mayor.

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I again assure Deputy Humphreys that I am committed to the concept of a directly elected mayor for Dublin. It is regrettable that in the discussions between the four local authorities it was not possible for them to reach consensus on what should constitute the powers and functions of a directly elected mayor. It certainly was not possible for me to ignore the fact that one of the local authorities had some difficulties in that regard. In establishing the forum to allow local public representatives of the four local authority areas, as they then existed, to come together I thought it would be possible for them, as those closest to the citizen, to come to a conclusion on the matter. Deputy Humphreys mentioned some of the issues that are of concern, particularly to the councillors in Fingal, which perhaps should have been reflected upon a little earlier in the process and not taken for granted.

As the saying goes, we are where we are. I will kick-start the process by way of early engagement with the mayors and chairpersons of the four Dublin authorities in early July. I look forward to a constructive process in the future which will meet the objective which Deputy Humphreys and I want.