THE TITLE Lord Mayor of Dublin will be adopted from the time of the 2014 local elections by the directly elected mayor of the capital who will take over under the terms of proposed legislation.
Minister for Local Government John Gormley said yesterday the mayoralty legislation was “on the A-list” and would be published “very shortly”.
He said the legislation would go through second stage in the near future. “I believe it will be done and dusted before Christmas,” he said.
The election would take place “in the new year” and the current, symbolic office of lord mayor would cease to exist after the next local elections. The directly elected mayor would represent the same catchment area as the four Dublin local authorities.
As leader of the Dublin Regional Authority, the mayor would have responsibility for setting out regional planning guidelines, would lead the Greater Dublin Transport Council and oversee the implementation of the Dublin region waste management plan, according to department sources.
Directly elected mayors would also oversee the Dublin regional water services plan; establish a regional development board for the capital; promote “quality housing and sustainable communities” and promote the protection and enhancement of Dublin’s environment.
The mayor would have "a substantial suite of formal responsibilities and powers" and could have a local authority development plan altered if it were "inconsistent with the regional planning guidelines", Mr Gormley told RTÉ Radio's News at Oneprogramme.
Business rates would not be increased to pay for the new office.
Costs would be met from existing resources and would be “extremely modest when compared to the totality of local government spending in the region”.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey and Minister for Community Affairs Pat Carey arranged to brief Dublin-based Fianna Fáil backbenchers and councillors on the new legislation at a meeting in Leinster House last night.
However, Fine Gael environment spokesman Phil Hogan said tax increases would be necessary to pay for the new office of directly elected mayor, which was estimated to cost €8 million a year.
Citing documents released to Fine Gael, he said: “According to the official documents from Fingal County Council, the running cost of the new office ‘is of the order of €8 million based on a minimum staffing level of 35 to 40 people’.”
“The first year of operation will actually cost €10 million, with €1 million going to the cost of running the election and €1 million going to ‘consultant fees to assist with the development of a mayoral strategy within six months of appointment’.
“However, Dublin taxpayers will be most concerned by the fact that, according to Fingal County Council, as it stands there is no provision to pay for the mayor unless taxes are increased,” Mr Hogan said.
