The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government John Gormley T.D. today published details of legislation to provide for a directly elected mayor for the Dublin region.

Under the proposed legislation in the general scheme of a Local Government (Dublin Mayor and Regional Authority) Bill 2010, the mayor will have a range of substantial powers to establish and deliver a vision for Dublin. The Mayor’s election, from a population base of 1.2million, will also give the Mayor a unique mandate in Irish political life to act as leader and advocate of Dublin.

Under the new powers, the mayor will develop and oversee policy for the Dublin Region in land-use planning, housing, waste management, and water services. The Mayor will also have a strong role in transport and traffic management throughout the region. The legislation will give the Mayor the authority and powers to implement the policies which the Mayor and the revamped Dublin Regional Authority lay down. The Mayor will have a role in the annual budgetary process for the Dublin local authorities, and will have the power to direct any of the four Dublin councils and their managers in relation to policy issues.

The Mayor will also chair a powerful Regional Development Board which will include major public sector, educational and enterprise interests from across the Dublin Region.

Minister Gormley said:

“The Mayor for Dublin will enhance local democratic leadership and civic engagement in the Dublin Region. The office will raise the profile of Dublin, nationally and internationally and assist local government in taking the initiative in Dublin to support local and national economic recovery, and to drive and lead local development to hasten this recovery. I look forward to engaging on the debate on the legislation when it is presented to the Oireachtas and to a new exciting electoral contest later on this year.”

The general scheme sets out a new institutional framework for decision making in Dublin. The Mayor will have powers to draw up strategic plans in areas of land-use planning (and therefore housing), waste management and water services for implementation at the local level. The Dublin local authorities will be obliged to comply with those plans.

The objective of bringing greater coherence to land use and transportation policy in Dublin will be supported by a role key role for the Mayor in relation to transportation and traffic management in Dublin. The Minister is finalising provisions in this regard in consultation with the Minister for Transport, having regard to the change in role of the Dublin Transport Authority to the National Transport Authority.

The Mayor will be supported by a more focused 16 member regional authority (reduced from the current 30 members), with the Mayor acting as chairperson. The Authority will:

•    be responsible for adopting plans proposed by the Mayor (but subject to a procedure which allows for Mayoral adoption where the mayor considers that an inappropriate plan would be adopted);
•    oversee, advise and provide a forum for the Mayor to account for his or her actions;
•    provide a direct, ongoing, institutional link between the major Dublin local authorities and the Mayor.

In addition to the specific functions outlined above the draft scheme provides that the Mayor and Regional Authority will have general objectives to:

•    develop the Dublin Region in a manner which contributes to environmental sustainability, economic progress, social cohesion and the cultural vitality of the region,
•    provide efficient local government services through co-ordinating and maximising co-operation,
•    promote a coherent approach from relevant public and private sector interests,
•    promote the Dublin Region on a national and international basis,
•    co-ordinate the development of the Dublin Region with that of the Mid-East Region.

The Mayor and Regional Authority will work closely with the 4 major Dublin local authorities in pursuing these objectives.

A new Regional Development Board, chaired by the Mayor, will be established to replace the 4 city and county development boards of the Dublin local authorities. This Board will have a crucial role in assisting the Mayor in achieving his or her objectives for a vibrant economic, social and cultural city region. The Bill will allow for sub-committees to continue working at a more local level.

The Office’s staff will provide administrative support to the Mayor and Authority, and will be composed of approximately 30 personnel. A senior advisory team will be appointed directly by the Mayor for the duration of his or her tenure; the remainder of the Office’s staff will consist of personnel seconded or transferred from the Dublin local authorities, including the existing staff of the Dublin Regional Authority.

The Minister has also written to the leaders of the opposition parties inviting them or their local Government spokespeople to meet to discuss the proposed bill.

Minister Gormley concluded:

“I believe a directly elected mayor with real powers will be a hugely important step forward in terms of local Government reform in Ireland. I would hope that other political parties can engage in a positive away in this regard and I am willing to listen to any positive proposals that will enhance these proposals.”

Main Provisions of General Scheme

Principal Provisions of the General Scheme of the Local Government (Dublin Mayor and Regional Authority) Bill 2010

Part 2 of the General Scheme establishes the directly-elected Mayor, who will work with, and be institutionally part of, a strengthened Regional Authority. The Authority, the successor body to the Dublin Regional Authority, is reduced in membership from 30 members to 16 members, including the Mayor. A Deputy Mayor is provided for. Also defined is the functional area of the Authority, which corresponds to the traditional County of Dublin. Part 2 provides procedures in the event of a mayoral vacancy, and for the resignation and removal from office of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Provision for the staff of the Authority is also contained in this Part. The Mayor’s salary and pension are determined by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance.

Part 3 sets out the general objectives of the Authority and its principal functions. The role of the Mayor is detailed, including his or her powers to issue directions and advice to the Dublin local authorities. Part 3 also provides for a review of the operation and role of the Authority after 2 years of operation. Chapters 2 to 5 of Part 3 are the functional core of the Bill, in that they define how the Mayor and Authority are to produce strategic plans for the Dublin Region, in areas including spatial planning, waste management, and water services. Significant importance is granted to the role of the Mayor, both as the proposer of plans and as the individual who can adopt plans where the Authority fails to do so or attempts to adopt inappropriate plans. The Mayor may, if he or she considers a plan to be inappropriate, block adoption, and ask that a plan be reconsidered.

The Mayor will also have a strong role in relation to transportation and traffic management in Dublin (note that these provisions are being finalised in consultation with the Department of Transport to take account of the new mandate of the National Transport Authority).

Part 3 also provides for the replacement of the 4 Dublin Region City and County Development Boards with a Regional Development Board, chaired by the Mayor. The Board will have a number of tasks, including the promotion of public service integration and innovation in Dublin, and the delivery of a strategy for the economic, social and cultural development of the Dublin Region and the community.

A sliding scale of provisions and interventions are made available to the Minister to ensure compliance by the Authority with national policy, these include advisory guidelines together with policy directives and directions which must be complied with.

Part 4 provides for operational matters relating to the organisation and running of the election of the Mayor of Dublin, which by and large mirror existing electoral law. Arrangements for the regulation of spending and donations at the election are currently being finalised.