Results 2,101-2,120 of 26,006 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: 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...

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

Kieran O'Donnell: We can discuss it separately. I will respond to it if the Deputy wishes.

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

Kieran O'Donnell: Outside the mayor’s office, it has always been the case that the staff fall under the director general. We cannot change that. Staff in the mayor's office are appointed by the director general but on a practical level, the mayor will always be involved in working with human resources in the council on their appointment. We will look at that simple aspect before 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: I was referencing the second amendment, not the Deputy’s amendment.

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

Kieran O'Donnell: That was referenced.

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 the point the Deputy raises about the mayor's office and it is something I have given an undertaking to look at before Report Stage. Deputy Quinlivan can push the amendment all right but in the spirit of co-operation, I am asking that he give me some latitude to come forward on Report Stage in respect of that consultation with the mayor on the appointment of staff in the mayoral office.

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

Kieran O'Donnell: Legislation is open to change and we are here to discuss it.

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

Kieran O'Donnell: I am not in any way questioning that.

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

Kieran O'Donnell: Equally the Deputy must take my bona fides on it. I am trying to work on this. The Deputy is correct that we have to get this right. There will be a review mechanism and I have seen that many of the moves to a directly elected mayor have failed because they have gone too quickly. I want to look at section 18 in the context of the mayor being consulted on the appointment of the four staff...

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

Kieran O'Donnell: Remember that it has always been the case that the director general was over staff and they are staff within the council so I have to be conscious of them as well.