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

If I may explain, it was put to the people that certain activities, such as staffing, administration of schemes, housing and general operational matters, would remain with the CEO. The CEO will continue to be the accounting officer, very similar to a Secretary General of a Department. Everything else moves to the mayor. The mayor will be responsible for bringing the annual budget to the chamber, whereas that is currently the CEO's responsibility. I refer to a budget of €600 million. The mayor will be responsible for bringing the development plans to the chamber; currently, the CEO is responsible. All the Limerick 2030 projects will report to the mayor, whereas at present they report to the CEO. Ultimately, they report to the chamber. As regards the responsibilities that move to the mayor, the mayor is responsible to the chamber. As regards the responsibilities that remain with the CEO, he or she is answerable to the chamber. If the mayor - we dealt with this previously - delegates certain activities to the CEO, the CEO is ultimately answerable to the mayor and the mayor is still answerable to the chamber in those activities. It is structural. We have an implementation forum. There is a review mechanism within a three-year period. It is important that we get this working in a structured manner in order that it is true to what the people voted on. It will be the subject of review within the first three years. That is the structure.