Forum to enable newly-elected first citizen to have direct line to Government

A SPECIAL forum is to be set up to allow regular meetings between the directly elected mayor of Limerick and government.

Minister of State and Limerick TD Kieran O’Donnell, who is spearheading the new legislation confirmed the news at a sitting of Seanad Eireann.

He said the forum is designed to “facilitate engagement between the mayor and national government in relation to Limerick.”

Chaired by a minister, it would meet at least twice a year, and ensure Limerick’s newly elected first citizen has a direct line to government.

It comes as the countdown continues to June when Limerick people are expected to go to the polls to elect an executive mayor for the first time.

There has still only been a handful of declarations for the influential position, which was voted in by local people in a referendum back in 2019.

It has also emerged people in other counties across Ireland could vote on whether they want to follow Limerick’s example and have a directly elected mayor, under new proposals.

Mr O’Donnell revealed that the populations of other counties could vote for this measure if less than two in every 10 of the electorate in any particular county sign a petition calling for a plebiscite.

Back in 2019, Limerick’s electorate had their own plebiscite on an executive mayor alongside Cork and Waterford.
Voters on Leeside and in the Déise rejected the proposal.

But in Limerick, a narrow majority approved the plans, which has brought about this summer’s maiden mayoral election.

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Now, Mr O’Donnell has said it would take just 15% of voters in any other county or local authority area across Ireland to sign a petition to hold their own referendum on whether they wanted to see a directly-elected mayor.

Addressing a debate in Seanad Eireann, the Fine Gael TD said there would be three ways in which other counties could go to the polls.

“A plebiscite may be processed in three ways: by a council-approved recommendation from the corporate policy group, by a petition signed by more than 15% of the electorate and certified by the (council) chief executive or by ministerial direction,” he said.

Mr O’Donnell revealed he took a decision to cut the threshold needed for any plebiscite from a recommendation of 20% of the population to 15%.

The TD said Limerick’s new mayoral role will “serve as a blueprint for greater local democracy in Ireland.”