Results 6,361-6,380 of 6,944 for speaker:Michael McNamara

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: Again, my respectful view is that there will be, at best, this duplication of roles and, at worst, this competition between, effectively, an indirectly elected mayor and a directly elected mayor.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: Yes, humbly or otherwise.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: I have indicated that I will bring forward an amendment. I just do not see the rationale for the two separate offices. I do not think it will result in a workable solution. I hope I am proved wrong, but I fear that what we will have is a directly elected mayor with certain powers. Let us call him or her a príomh chomhairleoir but, essentially, he or she is elected in the same way as...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: No.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: If I am not mistaken, section 31(4) was not always in the Local Government Act 2001. It was introduced by amendment with the Local Government Reform Act 2014. Until that, there was no such provision, insofar as I am aware. Is it necessary to say one will have precedence over the other? If one will have precedence, I would argue it should be the person who has a direct mandate.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: It does not say "chair", it says "shall take precedence at all meetings".

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: If it said that the cathaoirleach will chair the meeting, I would not object, but "take precedence" clearly demonstrates a hierarchy.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: On section 104(7)(a)-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: It is in the Local Government Act 2001.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: The Minister of State argues that-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: Yes. The Minister of State has repeatedly said that the new elected mayor will have budgetary powers, as opposed to the unelected mayor, which will continue to be a post, but with a different name. The elected mayor will bring forward the budget.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: The directly elected mayor will presumably be responsible for budgetary matters.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: Yet, if the chief executive incurs additional expenditure, they do not have to inform the elected mayor who-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: The Minister of State spoke about-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: Will the Minister of State say that again? What does it say at the moment?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: It is not that the CEO or the director general, as the post will become, will get additional power. The director general must inform the príomh comhairleoir who will inform the mayor.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: Yes.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: It would be helpful, but can we then submit amendments on Report Stage if we are not happy with them? I am afraid the clerks will say that was not discussed adequately on Committee Stage to allow-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: I appreciate the Minister of State’s and the Chair's approach. My only fear is that a clerk will say we did not tease out the Schedule because it was not finalised and therefore it was not discussed.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: It has happened to me before.