272. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the form a petition should take requesting the holding of a plebiscite under section 47 of the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2024; in particular with regards to a petition in electronic format; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40281/24]

Under section 47 of the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2024, there are three mechanisms by which a proposal may be submitted to a plebiscite of the electorate of a local authority as to whether they wish to have a directly elected mayor.

The first is where the corporate policy group of a local authority submits a report to the elected council of the local authority recommending a proposal and that elected council approves that proposal by resolution.

The second is where the Minister receives, from the chief executive of a local authority, a petition signed by more than 15 per cent of the electors of the administrative area of the local authority, requesting the holding of a plebiscite in relation to a proposal, and also a certificate signed by that chief executive stating that he or she is satisfied that the petition is valid.

The third is that the Minister directs that a proposal shall be submitted to a plebiscite of the electors of the administrative area to which the proposal relates.

In addition, under section 49 of the 2024 Act, the Minister may make regulations for the purposes of Part 6 relating to plebiscites on the direct election of Mayors. No regulations have been made under this provision to date.