‘Bureaucratic resistance’ to new executive mayor plans for Limerick

AN Tanaiste Leo Varadkar has revealed there has been some “bureaucratic resistance” against Limerick’s plan for a new executive mayor.

However, the Fine Gael leader expects legislation to back the project will come to the Dáil before the summer recess.

Crucially though, no election date has yet been confirmed, despite it being almost three years since Limerick backed the plan in a plebiscite on the same day as the 2019 local election.

“It’s intended it will be in the house well before the summer and hopefully enacted by then,” he told the Dáil in answer to a question from local TD Maurice Quinlivan, “But there's no election date yet because legislation has to be enacted first. There is some bureaucratic resistance within certain departments - not mine - when it comes to the delegation of functions and evolution of function.”

Mr Varadkar added: “It'll never go as far as some people want it to, but it should go far.”

Mr Quinlivan had raised concerns regarding the progress for the executive mayor – and expressed concerns over what he described as “reported resistance” to the project from government.

“It suggests to me that there may be an effort by some ministers and their departments to limit the proposed powers of a future democratically elected mayor in Limerick,” he said.

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“Any failure to devolve powers would be an utter betrayal of what the Limerick people voted for in 2019. The people expect the mayor to be more than a ribbon cutter, and any chance to dilute or withhold powers would be a significant problem for us. It is essential that any attempts to withhold powers to from an elected Mayor are resisted. We must deliver proper powers to ensure that the new mayoral position is effective,” added Limerick’s polltopper.

"I have no doubt that, with the correct powers, the directly elected mayoral position has the potential to be transformative and will be replicated in other cities across the state,” he concluded.

The voters of Limerick backed the proposals for a new executive mayor with far reaching powers back in May 2019.

Similar votes held in Waterford and Cork were rejected by their local electorates.