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Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern speaking at the Citizens' Assembly this morning. The Citizens' Assembly Twitter

Directly elected mayor for Dublin could be a 'dog's dinner' unless proper planning takes place

The former Taoiseach said a “ten-year plan where we start building up the federal system would be great” and “putting in a mayor at the start of that might be won’t work”.

BERTIE AHERN SAYS a ten-year plan needs to be implemented before there can be a directly elected mayor of Dublin, otherwise it could be a “dog’s dinner”.

It’s the third weekend meeting of the Citizens’ Assembly on a directly elected mayor in the Grand Hotel, Malahide, with talks and discussions on local government structures taking place today and tomorrow.

The Dublin Citizens’ Assembly is tasked with considering the type of directly elected mayor best suited for Dublin, and to bring forward proposals to the Oireachtas.

Bertie Ahern gave a talk this morning titled ‘The Reality of Devolution’.

He told the Assembly that he was “very enthusiastic” about having a directly elected mayor back 2000, someone who would be “Mr or Ms Dublin”.

However, he said there was concern that “a lot of celebs would run for it, who wouldn’t care two damns about the city” once elected.

Mr Ahern added: “We looked at some systems around the world they have directly elected mayors have control of everything: control of the police, control of teaching, of all the facilities that would be operated in the city.”

However, Mr Ahern said he “could not imagine us having such a system in this country” and that it “would lead to friction and be a dog’s dinner of a system”.

Mr Ahern said rather than focusing “just on a directly elected mayor of Dublin”, there should be a federal system for the whole county and Councils should also be empowered to “evolve” and become “stronger”.

He then told the Assembly that a “ten-year plan where we start devolving and building up the federal system would be great” and that “putting in a mayor at the start of that might be a dog’s dinner and won’t work”.

Former Dublin GAA manager Jim Gavin is chairing the Citizens’ Assembly.

He described Bertie Ahern as a “true blue” who is “passion for Dublin is infectious”.

Mr Gavin added that Bertie Ahern’s comments will give the 80 members of the Assembly “a lot of food of thought for the coming months ahead”.

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    Mute Liam
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    Jun 25th 2022, 12:54 PM

    Bertie should be giving this talk through Mountjoy Zoom, he should consider himself lucky.

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Jun 25th 2022, 12:50 PM

    In other words he wants it to stay the same for the good old boys club.

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    Mute v39e84kK
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    Jun 25th 2022, 12:57 PM

    @Dave Barrett: last two mayor’s were women. Time to realize the inept ruling class politicos have long adopted inclusivity in that respect.

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Jun 25th 2022, 1:31 PM

    @Dave Barrett: This is it, he feels irked that it wouldn’t be a shoo-in for his pals.

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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    Jun 25th 2022, 1:06 PM

    The most cunning, devious, greedy of them all, back into your cupboard. I heard John Delaney turned down the gig.

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Jun 25th 2022, 1:55 PM

    @Liam Byrne: Speaking of John! Where is he.

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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    Jun 26th 2022, 12:42 PM

    @Dave Barrett:
    In hiding, I can’t wait to hear what Politians he had in his pocket.

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    Mute Paul Maguire
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    Jun 25th 2022, 12:49 PM

    Yet again they are looking to create bureaucracy

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    Mute dublindamo
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    Jun 25th 2022, 7:38 PM

    @Paul Maguire: if elected it would be a democracy rather than the current unelected appointments. Which would you prefer

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    Mute v39e84kK
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    Jun 25th 2022, 12:49 PM

    Sick of this story. Anyone feel the directly elected councillors are doing a great job? You’d swear a mayor was a panacea.

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    Mute ConPhoto
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    Jun 25th 2022, 1:06 PM

    @v39e84kK: Well the current system is rubbish and letting Dubliners down. It’s possibly a significant change for my city and if it bores you I’m okay with that.

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Jun 25th 2022, 1:54 PM

    @v39e84kK: I would look at it this way. Why have a lord mayor and a city manager . One person represents the city and or county.

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    Mute Eoin Roche
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    Jun 25th 2022, 2:01 PM

    @v39e84kK: It’s not so much about what the current directly elected Councillors are doing, it’s about removing executive power from the unelected Owen Keegan types and putting it in the hands of a person or persons answerable to the people who live in and pay for the City. The County of Dublin, has 4 Councils, 180 County Councillors, 4 Chief Executives, 4 Mayors/Chairs and something like 53 Directors of Departments. All for 1.4 million people. That’s a feckin nonsense. And you may use the example of London to argue back, but I’d remind folk, Irish Councils don’t have responsibility for education, health and human services in their areas, UK Councils do. And there is a Greater London Authority over all London Councils and an elected Mayor at its head.

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    Mute Alex Marquis
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    Jun 25th 2022, 2:21 PM

    @v39e84kK: they definitely aren’t. But you’re right in saying there is no guarantee that a directly elected mayor would either.

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    Mute Stephen O'Neill
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    Jun 25th 2022, 5:17 PM

    I wonder if himself has figured out how to open a bank account yet? That massive pension must be going somewhere safe!

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    Mute Irish Cottage Rental
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    Jun 25th 2022, 2:36 PM

    There’s nobody in charge and zero accountability. Just one example. Walk from Parnell Square to St.Stephen’s Green and it’s quite a mess. A directly elected Mayor would ad least have to stand on their record.

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    Mute Patrick
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    Jun 25th 2022, 1:59 PM

    We need a proper Dub elected as Mayor that actually has powers. There are too many decisions that have made Dublin an absolute kip, no offense but these decisions from rural councillors and politicians who have no love or affinity to Dublin. They can go back to there rural homesteads the weekend and let the decisions ruin the Dublin and its famous character to the gutter.

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    Mute The next small thing
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    Jun 25th 2022, 1:32 PM

    A directly elected mayor could be good for Dublin but it all depends on what powers are devolved to them and also the ability to raise taxes to pay for whatever projects they plan on implementing. If they don’t get that right then it’s a waste of time.

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    Mute Shamey
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    Jun 25th 2022, 3:03 PM

    This little man deserves any donation you can make to help for his wish to walk come true https://gofund.me/c7517b58

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    Mute Jack Cass
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    Jun 25th 2022, 2:22 PM

    Replace the word Dublin with Rural Ireland and remove rural entirely from your post and you’ve pretty much nailed it.

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    Mute Myles Tierney
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    Jun 26th 2022, 10:48 AM

    Fianna Fail loves nominating celebs, especially sports ones. Do they also contribute to his “Dogs dinner”?
    Myles Tierney

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