A DATE for the vote for Limerick’s Directly Elected Mayor has been set following the passing of a bill before the Dáil today (Tuesday).
The election for Directly Elected Mayor will be held on the same day as the Local and European Elections in 2024, between June 6 and 9.
The bill was brought before the Dáil by Limerick Minister of State Kieran O’Donnell, who welcomed the announcement of the date.
“I am delighted that Government has approved publication of this draft legislation to allow the people of Limerick city and county to directly elect a mayor with significant powers and that the election will be held on the same date as the local elections in 2024,” he said.
“Having a directly elected mayor will enable the people of Limerick to have a greater say over how services and infrastructure are delivered and how Limerick develops, as they voted for by plebiscite.”
At the meeting of the Cabinet, Government signed off on publication of the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023, which establishes the office of mayor and its mayoral functions, sets out the governance structures to support that office, and provides a code for the election of the mayor.
It also makes provision for holding plebiscites in other local authority areas on the question of whether to directly elect a mayor.
Minister O’Donnell said: “The directly elected mayor will take on many of the executive functions which currently rest with the chief executive and will also take on a host of new functions, supported by a budget to implement the mayor’s programme and priorities.”
The revised council structure in Limerick will consist of the elected council, the directly elected mayor, and the director general (formerly the chief executive officer).
The Directly Elected Mayor will take executive functions overseeing strategic development, housing and building, and road transport and safety.
More thoughts and talk on Limerick’s Directly Elected Mayor in the most recent episode of ‘Ann & Steve Talk Stuff’, a Limerick Post podcast. Listen here.
