Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 82:

In page 29, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following:

Co-operation agreements

35.(1) The Mayor may, with the permission of the elected council, enter into co-operation agreements with other cities or municipalities both in the European Union and the wider world in order to advance diplomatic, cultural, environmental, social and economic relationships.

(2) Such co-operation agreements may also be entered into with other European Union cities or municipalities for the purposes of participating in European Union projects.”.

This seeks to insert a new section into the Bill which would provide that the mayor may, with the permission of the elected council, enter into co-operation agreements with other cities or municipalities both in the European Union and indeed in the wider world, in order to advance diplomatic, cultural, environmental, social and economic relationships. This section provides that such co-operation agreements may also be entered into with other European Union cities or municipalities for the purposes of participating in European Union projects. Examples of such initiatives include the urban development network, the Smart Cities initiative, and the New Urban Agenda. An example I worked on in my previous life was Safer Cities for Women and Girls, which was a UN initiative. I have given the example previously of C40 cities, which is a global network of mayors of the world's leading cities united in action to confront the climate crisis. There are multiple other examples where cities are working together to try to deliver for their communities in the common challenges we face. Many of them are global and international challenges in terms of climate action, social inclusion, disability, migrant justice, arts and culture, even in areas such as public services or areas where we have seen public-public partnerships emerging. I wrote once to a Department asking about public-public partnerships and they replied with "Do you mean public-private partnerships?" I actually meant public-public partnerships, such as between cities and municipalities facing similar issues and seeking to consolidate their efforts or research to develop solutions that work, or to learn how others have solved those issues in another city. There is great scope here for cities to talk to and support each other and work together. I would like clarity around those issues, things like Safer Cities for Women and Girls, the urban development network, the Smart Cities initiative. Is it the case that the mayor will be able to initiate such processes, with the approval of the elected council, which is included as a caveat and would of course be very important?

We have discussed the role of cities in facing the challenges of the century. David Harvey is one of the geographers who has highlighted city to city conversations. I do not want to disregard the county because we are also seeing rural initiatives, including those that are in a relationship to a city, and have also looked to how that might be addressed in interesting and innovative ways. There is much to be learned about green networks surrounding towns and cities, for example. I would be grateful if the Minister of State could clarify if that is something a mayor can undertake, if he or she wants to bring Limerick into this or that partnership.