How will the election work, same method as the President? (but with only Dublin residents being allowed to vote?)

Let's put aside the partisan sniping about who will get the job and focus on the most important part of this story - that is the Green Party implementing another one of their policies

thats what bothers me.


i'd welcome it if its genuinely democractic and ANYONE can stand, nutters included because thats the price you pay in a democracy.

i dont want to end up in a situation where a bunch of lads in the dail decide who we can vote for, or worse do a mary macallese on us i.e. not even GET an election when it suits the big three.

That is the problem, he would win, hands down I'd say, because folk may not make the distinction between the present incumbent's role and the new one.

It is vital that the electorate are made fully aware that the Mayor's job under the new system does not just consist of wearing the chain and attending functions. Bertie Ahern would walk it if folk are not made aware of this. Ah sure he's one of our own, a great fella altogether, and sure he can't do any harm as the Mayor, what does the Mayor do anyway?

You see where I'm going with this? It makes me very wary.

PS Andrew M, yes, all kudos to Greens for implementing this, a big step in the right direction, now they need to educate Dubliners about the implications of electing an unsuitable candidate.

What a feeble attempt at pro government spin from John Gormless !

happy for people to circulate this statement as I do not have a good media list.


Former Taoiseach challenged to debate on the role of a directly elected Mayor of Dublin.



Councillor Dermot Lacey
Labour Pembroke-Rathmines
12th May 2009

"Now that the Minister for the Environment and Local Government has finally announced his decision on a directly elected Mayor can I first of all welcome this as a step forward. I have campaigned for this for over six years now. It of course follows the recent statement of support for a directly elected “Lord Mayor” of Dublin by the former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. That support was of course new and a surprising development” says another former Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Dermot Lacey.

As he has declared his interest, let me declare mine and I challenge Bertie Ahern at this stage to debate the issues facing our County.

However it begs the question why did he not do this when he could? More accurately, it begs the question, why did he allow Noel Dempsey to provide for this, in the Local Government Act of 2000 only to allow the more craven Martin Cullen reverse the legislation several years later.

“I want to see a Mayor for Dublin and not a Lord Mayor of Dublin”

As we approach the Local Elections there is an emerging recognition that our current system of Local Government requires renewal and reform.

Having argued for this for years I would welcome the opportunity to publicly debate with the former Taoiseach the merits of such a new post.

While the detail of any reform is extensive, the essentials are not. If it is to be in any way meaningful reform must include:

· An Independent source of funding for Local Authorities and not subject to the whims of the Department of the Environment.

· Reform of the City and County Managers Act creating a new post of Chief Executive Officer – accountable to the relevant Local Authority and recruited by the Public Appointments Commission.

· A directly elected Mayor of Dublin with a five year term and accountable to an enhanced Dublin Regional Authority. In that context I believe that Bertie Ahern is wrong to advance the case of a directly elected Lord Mayor solely for the City. It is the Dublin region that needs such political leadership.

· Extending the role of the Dublin Regional Authority to include Transport and Planning and subsuming bodies such as the Dublin Transport Authority and the Affordable Housing Partnership.

· Real controls and limitations on electoral spending at local elections and an ethical framework that is robust and just.

Local Government is best placed to deliver real reform if let. It is time to stand up for better Local Government and long past time to “Stand up for Dublin.



Dermot Lacey 087-2646960.

I would recommend approval voting and you get your deposit back if you get >5% approval.

This allows lots of candidates to stand and a candidate who has widespread support wins.

Whats the Age restriction on running? will it be like the president, where you have to be 35 or older?

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Vote yes

i wouldn't like to see a situation where the other leading candidates for mayor don't get in to the council,its too all or nothing,i want mayors who would be happy to be local councillors too, not just going for the big job, its more likely to be more celebrity, populist or somebody just using the position if the other leading candidates don't end up on the council as well, if it could voted on somehow at the same time as the local elections? and they have to go for the council too and if they get enough votes they become a councillor even if they don't win the separate mayoral election.

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Is Enda our Barack?
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Davin-Power(yer man that hung about with the politics.ie 10) has said that the "sphinx of Drumcondra is giving nothing away" as of yet. Speculation has it that he'd be only interested if there were proper responsibilities that went with it. Positively no shame.