Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Amendments Nos. 29 to 39, inclusive, are grouped for discussion as they relate to the Limerick mayoral and government consultative forum, and I will address these together. Amendments Nos. 29 to 34, inclusive, propose an expansion in the membership requirements for the forum to include the príomh chomhairleoir as well as two members of the elected council, and to transfer the role of chair from the Minister to the príomh chomhairleoir.

Amendment No. 37 is a consequential amendment to amendment No. 34.

The function of the Limerick mayoral and government consultative forum is to facilitate engagement between the mayor and national Government. It will also have a role in considering and making recommendations on the future development of the role of mayor. The appointment of the príomh chomhairleoir as chair and the inclusion of elected members would completely change the focus and dynamic of the forum from what was intended.

Amendments Nos. 35 and 36 seek to amend the functions of the forum to include matters relating to the introduction of additional functions and revenue-raising powers for the elected council. However, the forum is a platform for engagement between the mayor and national Government and consideration of the role and function of the office of mayor. Therefore, I am not in a position to accept these amendments.

Amendments Nos. 38 and 39 seek to increase the frequency of consultative forum meetings, increasing from twice per year to three times annually. The Bill already provides that in addition to the two meetings which must be held annually, as many further meetings as are necessary shall also be held. Accordingly, I am satisfied that the section as currently drafted strikes the appropriate balance and I cannot accept this amendment.

I will go back to the background of the consultative forum. It arose out of a recommendation of the implementation group, of which Mr. Tim O'Connor was chair. It was modelled on the consultative forum that was established by the terms of the Anglo-Irish Agreement. It is a mechanism. We are providing it with a secretariat through the Department. It is, effectively, a forum. When it was originally constituted, it was intended the Minister would chair it and direct when meetings would take place. I have changed that. It now has a plenary sitting twice a year and can sit at any additional time as required by either party, the mayor or the Minister and the Government. It is a forum for the mayor. It will be the first time a directly elected mayor will have a statutory right to engage in a plenary session with the Government on issues of importance for Limerick. It will discuss additional powers for the mayor that may come forth, including revenue-raising powers. It is involved in looking at the whole area of the future of the mayoralty. It is novel, but is ultimately about the mandate the mayor gets. This, once again, is about bringing additionality. The chamber stays intact with reserved powers. This is about the mayor interacting with the Government and sharing the power in respect of when meetings take place. The Seanad will note that I have not stated that meetings must take place every six months. I have stated they should take place between every five and every seven months to give flexibility. On that basis, I believe a balance is struck. Furthermore, the mayor brings enhancement and additionality, which is what we want, above the reserved powers of the councillors in the chamber as they stand. Those powers remain intact. On that basis, I cannot accept the amendments although I note they are well meant.