Results 2,061-2,080 of 25,975 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I would have covered it anyway.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I propose to address amendments Nos. 8 and 92, as they have been grouped together for discussion. Amendment No. 8 proposes to insert new subsections in section 10, which deals with the functions of the mayor. There are seven new subsections proposed and I will speak to each of these in turn. New subsection (6) proposes that the mayor would have an ambassadorial role in the promotion...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Absolutely.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I do. Members will appreciate that I always try to avoid votes. I have been a committee member for many years. This Bill-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: We contend that much of what is in Deputy Quinlivan's amendment is in the Bill. The question is whether it can be clarified a bit more as we progress to Report Stage. It is a decision for Deputy Quinlivan. I like the consensus approach, although we might not agree on everything. It is very important that we put the position of the role of mayor in legislation that we can all get behind....

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I move amendment No. 9: In page 12, to delete lines 29 and 30 and substitute the following: "(c) upon the Mayor becoming disqualified for membership of a local authority or for holding the office of Mayor of Limerick under section 13, 13A or 182 of the Principal Act,". These amendments are linked and relate to the eligibility requirements to run in a mayoral election. The Bill...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I propose to address amendments Nos. 2 to 5, inclusive, together as they have been grouped for discussion. They relate to section 7 of the Bill, which provides a mechanism to review the operation of the legislation after a three year period. Amendments Nos. 2 and 3 propose to reduce the period within which a review should be conducted by the Minister after the office of the mayor is...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is purely to give context. We are working through all areas of legislation that remain with the mayor. We obviously have to go across all Departments. We have almost concluded but we want to bring it as a full entity and we will bring it on Report Stage.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Okay. I always look to see whether we can find a process to work through. The backbone of the legislation for me, and I have gone through it, is that there is no blueprint for a directly elected mayor working anywhere in the world. I have read much, but no doubt I have not read everything. I have seen many that have failed, however. Bristol and Liverpool are both reversing their decision...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The amendments relate to the assignment of staff to the office of mayor and delegation of functions. Amendment No. 13 proposes that the reference to the director general in section 18 be replaced by reference to the mayor, enabling the mayor to assign staff from the council to the mayoral office. Amendment No. 95 proposes the modification of section 154 of the 2001 Act, which deals with...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Is the Deputy referring to staff within the office of mayor?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Yes, but they will ultimately be appointed by the mayor.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Correct.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: In the normal course, however, I will outline what will happen here, drawing from my practical experience. A post will be advertised within the Department and people will apply for it. An interview will take place where the head of human resources or whoever will interview that person along with the Minister. In this case, I would expect the mayor to be involved in all the interviews....

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I take that point and I think we are all going to the same space. Perhaps we can look at it again on Report Stage, and it might involve using a phrase such as "in consultation with the mayor" or something else to ensure it is the case. Ultimately, I have to be honest here. The responsibility for staff will rest with the director general and that is for a number of reasons. They relate to...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: In practice, however-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The staff still will be under the director general because that will be his or her executive role. However, any staff who are appointed to the mayor's office will have to have the mayor involved in that process.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Deputy will still have the prerogative to bring forward amendments on Repot Stage. I am saying we are giving a commitment here - obviously, I would prefer if we did not have votes - that we will look at it and come back but it will remain the Deputy's prerogative to come forward with amendments on Report Stage. We cannot change the director general's role but, in the involvement of the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The most important thing here is that, from the very start and at every level - I am conscious of the staff on the council in this regard – it has always been the case that the staffing function would remain under the jurisdiction of the director general. We cannot move from that point.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Let us be honest. We are talking specifically about the staff in the mayor's office. They would still have to be appointed by the director general technically, but, as happens with Ministers of State, the mayor would be involved in the interview process. That is the norm. That is the practical aspect. It was always put forward from the start that staffing would remain an executive...