MINISTER of State for Planning and Local Government Peter Burke TD travelled to Limerick to meet with key stakeholders who will be involved in the establishment of the office of a Mayor to represent the people of Limerick City and County.
Minister Burke secured cabinet approval earlier this year to draft legislation to prepare for the first election of its kind to be held in Limerick, after the 2019 plebiscite which saw a majority of Limerick residents vote to have a Mayor for the County and the City.
“I am delighted to be in Limerick today on a long-overdue visit. I had planned to travel towards the end of last year to meet all the key stakeholders, including the Councillors, the Cathaoirleach and the Executive of the Council as well as members of the Implementation Advisory Group who were instrumental in developing the vision for the office of directly elected mayor.
“So far, due to COVID, I’ve only been to meet virtually with these groups, but I am looking forward to meeting people face to face today and updating them on matters relating to the election.”
“In April, the Government approved the General Scheme of the Directly Elected Mayor with Executive Functions (Limerick City and County Council) 2021 Bill which has been forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General for priority drafting and this complex piece of legislation will progress over the coming weeks and months.
“In parallel, I presented the General Scheme to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage as part of their pre-legislative scrutiny on 18 of May and this process continues.”
“I am really looking forward to meeting the key actors today to discuss plans for the establishment of the office of mayor. It is a fantastic opportunity for both the political system and the people of Limerick, as it will enable them to have a greater say over how services and infrastructure are delivered and how Limerick develops into the future.” he added.
