Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 29:

In page 23, line 15, to delete "who shall be the chairperson of the consultative forum,".

This amendment would delete the provision that the Minister would be the chair of the Limerick mayor and government consultative forum. I believe it would be inappropriate for a Minister to chair the forum. The chair should not be a member of the national Government but should instead come from within local government structures.

Amendments Nos. 30 to 32, inclusive, are technical amendments.

Amendment No. 33 would grant that the príomh chomhairleoir would have a seat on the forum and, indeed, should be the chair of the forum. That would be more appropriate than the Minister as chair. It would give a voice to elected councillors and ensure the forum is mediated by somebody independent of both the mayor and the Government.

Amendment No. 34 is an alternative to amendment No. 33. It would grant a seat to the príomh chomhairleoir and provide for the nomination of two members of the elected council on a biannual basis.

Amendment No. 35 would allow the forum to make recommendations to the Minister around the conferral of additional functions to the mayor and, crucially, allow for the provision of recommendations on additional revenue-raising powers for the elected council. This is another way in which we could strengthen the powers that are given to the mayor and use the elected council as the safety net or the check and balance on the strengthening of those powers.

Amendment No. 36 would insert a new paragraph to allow the forum to make recommendations on the conferral of such additional functions on the elected council for the effective and sustainable operation of Limerick City and County Council.

Amendment No. 37 would amend subsection (7) to provide that the chair would be the person who fixes the date and time of the first meeting of the forum.

These are in some cases quite technical amendments that are about making the forum more effective and, crucially, strengthening the voices of elected representatives on the forum.