Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this matter for discussion. The proposal for a directly elected mayor of Dublin has been knocking around since the mid-2000s. Credit is due to the former Minister for Environment and Local Government, Mr. Noel Dempsey, for taking an enlightened view on this issue. His successor, Mr. John Gormley, and my party colleague, Councillor Dermot Lacey, have also been strong advocates for the direct election of a mayor of the capital city or the Dublin region for a five-year period. With a population of approximately 1.3 million people, the Dublin region needs a directly elected mayor who can be a strong ambassador internationally and organise integrated planning across the four local authorities, especially with regard to investment, housing and planning.

Three local authorities adjoin Dublin Bay and this requires joined up thinking, which is also needed on the DART underground proposal, the metro north project to Swords and proposals to connect Tallaght and Clondalkin to the city centre. Business representatives in Dublin increasingly ask me why a city of 1.3 million people does not directly elect a mayor for a five-year term. The time has come for change. I commissioned a survey in September which found that 74% of Dubliners support a directly elected mayor. We constantly try to persuade young people to engage with democracy and vote in elections.The survey told me that 95.7%% of the group aged between 18 and 24 see that Dublin would benefit from having an elected mayor. I believe the time has come. I ask the Minister to lay down a timeframe and a pathway whereby Dublin can hold a plebiscite in 2018. Many Ministers from different parties have been speaking about this for 15 years to try to bring forward legislation on the matter. I ask the Minister of State to lay out the pathway in order that a plebiscite can be held in 2018 to allow for a directly-elected mayor in 2019. This would coincide with the local and European elections. It would be a fitting legacy for the Minister of State were he to spearhead this and deliver on something that has been spoken about for 15 years. Let us go and do it now.