What powers will the mayor have? Q&

Limerick is set to have the first directly elected mayor later this year. But what will it mean in practice?

The move towards a directly elected mayor model is designed to place power and responsibility for local government in elected officials.

At present, the city manager in most councils is actually the most important and powerful person. By comparison, under the new legislation, the new mayor will take over the powers of a city manager (which will now be known as a director general), outside of some administrative and electoral powers, making them the most important official in the region.

The mayor will have the opportunity to delegate their functions back to the director general.

No more than four months after taking up office the newly elected mayor will have to provide a ‘mayoral programme’ setting out the key objective and priorities for their term.

They will also chair a variety of boards including the Limerick Project Ireland 2040 Delivery Board.

What will they be paid?

No salary has been set under the legislation, with the council and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform yet to decide.

However, the salary for the current chief executive of Limerick city and county council is €164,000. The mayor will serve a term of five years.

Will the mayor have their own staff and what’s the budget?

The mayor will be entitled to their own staff of four civil servants, with a separate special adviser role also available to the mayor. There will be a separate budget for the mayoral office, but that is also set to be determined by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Who’s running?

Fianna Fáil yesterday announced their candidate Dee Ryan, the former chief executive of Limerick Chamber as its candidate. Brian Leddin, the Green Party TD, was first out of the traps earlier this year to confirm that he would be standing. John Moran, the former secretary general of the Department of Finance, also confirming his intentions to run.

Helen O’Donnell, the aunt of Kieran O’Donnell, the Fine Gael TD from Limerick, is running as an Independent. She is a former honorary national secretary of Fine Gael with almost 30 years experience ‘running one of Limerick’s bestloved institutions’, the Hunt Café at the Hunt Museum, and Dolmen Catering.

Elisa O’Donovan from the Social Democrats is also said to be considering her options.

Sinn Féin will also field a candidate, but it is unclear who they will stand at present.

Local sources have suggested Maurice Quinlavan, the party’s TD in Limerick city.