Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 32: To ask the Minister for Transport the discussions he has had with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government regarding the role of a directly elected Dublin mayor in the proposed Dublin Transport Authority; the agreements made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17460/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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My officials participated in a Consultative Committee representing local government interests, Government Departments and other experts which advised the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the issues examined in the Green Paper on Local Government Stronger Local Democracy — Options for Change published by the Minister on 22 April last.

The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and I also discussed the proposal that a directly elected Regional Mayor for Dublin act as Chair of the Dublin Transport Authority. I supported the inclusion of this proposal in the Green Paper.

I am committed to working closely with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, following the completion of the consultation process on the Green Paper, to ensure coherence between the Government approach to institutional changes in the governance of Dublin and in the management of the surface transport system and strategic land use in the Greater Dublin Area.