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Dublin's Mansion House. Shutterstock/Darren Pierse Kelly

Would you like to decide who lives here? You won't get a say on it just yet

The government have put down a counter motion to the Green Party’s bill for a directly-elected mayor for Dublin.

THE GOVERNMENT ARE delaying Fianna Fáil’s bill for a directly-elected mayor for Dublin until next year.

This is due to there being a commitment in the programme for a partnership government to consider directly elected mayors in cities as part of wider potential local government reform measures.

counter motion to the Green Party’s bill on the same issue is also being tabled.

It’s understood the government is not opposed to the idea of a directly-elected mayor in principle – but believes that there needs to be wider consultation and discussion on the issue.

Therefore, Minister Simon Coveney sought approval from Cabinet today to decline the second reading of the Fianna Fáil bill until 30 June 2017.

Earlier today, Fianna Fáil’s Dublin South West TD and spokesperson for Dublin, John Lahart said he was confident his bill would be passed by the Oireachtas this week.

Under the party’s proposal, every citizen in Dublin city and county would get to vote in a plebiscite in May 2018, with first mayoral elections  held in May 2019.

Speaking ahead of the debate tonight, he said Dublin currently has four local authorities, four chief executives, four mayors, 183 councillors, and countless state agencies in Dublin, and often they competing against each other rather than together.

22/11/2016. Lord Mayor Elections (L to R) Fianna Fail TD for Dublin West Jack Chambers, Fianna Fail Spokesperson on Dublin, John Lahart TD and Senator Catherine Ardaghre. Leah Farrell Leah Farrell

Lahart used losing the Web Summit to Lisbon as one such reason as to why Dublin should have a directly-elected mayor.

“I think one of the most dispiriting interviews about Dublin in the last number of years was that with Paddy Cosgrave on Marian [Finuncane] on Saturday when he said Dublin didn’t have the capacity to hold an event with 53,000 delegates and we lost the web summit.”

“A directly elected mayor would provide singular leadership to this structure,” said Lahart, adding that the position would move beyond “ceremonial purpose”.

Dublin spokesperson 

Admitting that he is a “jackeen” – as Dublin spokesperson – he said bringing in a directly-elected mayor for other cities like Cork or Limerick, would “confuse matters”.

The government’s standpoint is that other cities may well be considered in the wider context of local government reform contained in the programme for government.

The Green Party, who also has a bill for a directly elected mayor for the capital, said it would like to see a directly-elected mayor rolled out for cities around Ireland.

If and when introduced, how would the new office be paid for?

“I would see it as cost neutral, in that it would be met by the existing resources of the four local authorities,” said Lahart.

22/11/2016. Green Party Private Members Bills Green Party leader Eamon Ryan. Leah Farrell Leah Farrell

Speaking about the Green Party bill, Eamon Ryan said the funding for the new office would be be found within existing resources.

“We know we can do this without putting an additional burden on the tax payer,” he said.

Ryan said it is a move away from “unelected managers who aren’t answerable to anyone”.

He said it is “without a doubt a reduction of power of county managers, making them answerable to a directly elected mayor”.

When asked if county manager’s salaries would be impacted due to much of their responsibilities being transferred to the mayor, the Green Party leader said:

“It is not a cost issue it is a democratic issue.”

Read: Government approves promotions for 11 senior gardaí following controversy>

Read: State apology: 399 women given up to €150,000 each for symphysiotomy procedures>

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26 Comments
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    Mute Irish Cottage Rental
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 6:18 PM

    Dublin needs a directly elected mayor ASAP. There is no joined up thinking in the city and no one accountable or answerable for ” the state of the place”

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    Mute Paul
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 6:23 PM

    And you think a mayor will solve the problems……

    28
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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 6:23 PM

    @Irish Cottage Rental:

    But what power does the mayor have. If there is no power then why bother wasting money on an election. I live in Dublin so i would be delighted for some joined up thinking and accountability but someone needs the mandate to deliver or its just a waste of money

    22
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    Mute Paul
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 6:22 PM

    Someone want to enlighten me how DEM in other cities would confuse things.

    Was the spokesperson dropped on his head or just plain tick as a brick.

    29
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    Mute steve white
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    Nov 23rd 2016, 2:17 PM

    @Paul: it would confuse bill

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 7:05 PM

    “Therefore, Minister Simon Coveney sought approval from Cabinet today to decline the second reading of the Fianna Fáil bill until 30 June 2017.”

    Well done Simon democracy in action be proud…..

    22
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    Mute Paul Tao
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    Nov 23rd 2016, 12:41 AM

    @Kerry Blake: The Directly Elected Mayor bills are deferred to mid-2017 to allow consideration of further reform of local authorities. For e.g. How does a directly elected mayor work with mayor-ship currently being largely ceremonial? What powers will be annexed from county managers? Where will budget come from? What powers would a DEM have? etc.
    It makes sense to defer and study how other cities’ mayoral experiences have panned out..

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    Mute steve white
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    Nov 23rd 2016, 2:29 PM

    @Paul Tao: much of that is in the green bill

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    Mute @mdmak33
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 7:04 PM

    Web summit left because of fg,labour,arrogance,incompetence no other reason.

    11
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    Mute Paul Tao
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    Nov 23rd 2016, 12:47 AM

    @@mdmak33: Web summit left because Paddy Cosgrave was demanding large unaffordable state subsidies which Lisbon instead provided. It would be good if some entrepreneur could organize a similar Dublin-based Tech Summit which didn’t require the government following their every whim and moaning when they inevitably can’t provide subsidies.

    5
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    Mute Barry Davidson
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 7:45 PM

    My understanding is that this would not get rid of the lord Mayor of Dublin City who will continue to live in the mansion house. Rather it will provide a new elected mayor of a new Dublin authority comprising of the 4 Dublin councils.

    7
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    Mute William Kelly
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    Nov 23rd 2016, 6:40 AM

    Sounds like more high paid jobs for more political toffs.
    We already have highly paid city managers, all we need is some effective management!
    Dublin City has just spent another 160k on an annual literary prize shindig, whilst city libraries are being roboticised.
    How many boarded up public housing units would that refurbish?

    3
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    Mute Pat Stapleton
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 10:39 PM

    Another Political Appointee, NO THANKS ,by the way,anybody know who is the CEO of Asthma Society .?

    1
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    Mute Hugh Mannattee
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 6:17 PM

    Still banned?

    1
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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 6:21 PM

    @Hugh Mannattee:

    Why the multiple comments asking ‘still banned’?

    10
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    Mute Hugh Mannattee
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 6:30 PM

    Because I was banned and was seeing if my comments were allowed.

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    Mute Hugh Mannattee
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 6:31 PM

    Hugh Manatee banned from the Journal. Seems about right

    1
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    Mute Hugh Mannattee
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 6:35 PM

    I got into a spot of bother with the whingers the last night. I got banned for my troubles. You can insult travellers, Muslims, individuals, ethnicities, religions, God and Politicians but you can’t insult the pro-choice argument. That’s not allowed. Threats to users are fine but satirising ultra leftie robots is a bridge too far.

    17
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    Mute Hugh Mannatee
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 6:42 PM

    I see that the user who tried to pin my identity on someone else and made a creepy veiled threat is still allowed comment. Journal ethics 101. Don’t upset the abortion argument.

    9
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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 6:45 PM

    @Hugh Mannattee:

    Welcome back, you are no longer banned it appears!

    4
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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 6:46 PM

    @Hugh Mannatee:

    If you get banned for arguing the abortion debate I must try to lure Billy / Wally from the AAA into discussing abortion :)

    10
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    Mute Hugh Mannatee
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 6:51 PM

    I had to create a new Facebook page. They even asked for my phone number to make a new account. Every time I tried to make a comment they asked for my phone number. When I relented and gave my number all my comments were posted together. Well, at least now when Francis McCarthy asks his buddies for my identity they will be happy to tell him I’m not that other person.

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 8:35 PM

    @Hugh Mannatee: who was the other person?

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    Mute Hugh Mannatee
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 8:46 PM

    Read the comments here. I don’t want to involve him any further. http://www.thejournal.ie/online-abuse-kevin-boxer-moran-garbriella-mcfadden-3093304-Nov2016/

    1
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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Nov 22nd 2016, 9:40 PM

    @Hugh Mannatee: that’s not on …

    1
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    Mute Kalz Rattei Karin Sabine
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    Nov 24th 2016, 4:26 AM

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