Directly elected mayors information
Micheál Martin raises concerns that voters in the Cork, Limerick and Waterford mayoral plebiscites may not yet have enough information about the powers involved. The Taoiseach says there is time to provide clear public information and that the Government will not use public money to advocate.
In the programme for Government there is a commitment as follows: "We will consider directly elected mayors in cities". From next Friday it is eight weeks to the plebiscites on having a directly elected mayor in the cities of Cork, Limerick and Waterford. It was only last week when a memorandum outlining the potential powers of a directly elected mayor was revealed, to some extent. There are indications that some Ministers, including the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Bruton, and the Attorney General have difficulties and reservations about the proposals. I put it to the Taoiseach that there has been the absence of preparations or planning for the plebiscites and that as such there is a very low level of awareness about them among the public. It is not evident in any of the cities that there will be a plebiscite in eight weeks' time on a measure that will fundamentally change local government. I support the concept of directly elected mayors. Given the level of incompetence displayed by the Government in preparing for the plebiscites, a serious question mark must hang over whether they should proceed. I see no proposals before the public and no information before it such that on polling day people will be asking the question, "What is this all about?"
Comment on this
I accept that we need to make sure there will be adequate information available before people go to the polls. We have eight weeks in which to do so. The policy paper was approved by the Cabinet last week and there will be a public information campaign to explain what is being proposed. Needless to say, even though it is not a referendum in the constitutional sense, we will be applying the McCrystal rules. Therefore, we will not be able to use any public money to advocate, but there will be a public information campaign to explain to people how the offices will work.
