We deserve a better plan for mayors

DO we want our major cities to have directly elected mayors? That’s the question voters will be asked in Waterford, Limerick and Cork on the day of the local and European Parliament elections.

There is a lot to be said for such direct local democracy. The office of the mayor is a powerful one in London and New York and, indeed, across the United States, where individual mayors have resisted federal policy in order to maintain sanctuary for immigrants, and individually committed to Paris Climate Accord targets.

Directly elected mayors, of cities and even entire counties, could take back control of local budgets and re-dedicate themselves to the function local authorities once performed with great vision, namely the provision of social housing. Imagine too if Co. Donegal had a mayor – maybe they finally could redress the perceived imbalance of funding for the entire northwest, not least the issue of access.

The thing is that we don’t know exactly what sort of mayoral responsibilities would be devolved, or whether a mayor would have the power to overrule the wishes of councillors. Given that the two main parties control most councils, it seems likely each would have the greatest war-chest to ensure their candidates were elected – and, once elected, they very likely would toe the national party line.

If a popular independent candidate were to win the chain, could they achieve anything, or just be a lame duck watching every proposal voted down?

The problem is that we don’t know. This idea has not been fully thought through, and that is why the plebiscites are likely to fail.

The proposal will be put on the back burner for years, when it is an idea worth teasing out. As things stand, it is woollyminded, half-baked, and unappealing to councillors, who like the idea of a mayoral election being solely in their gift.

This has been put before voters too soon and with too little detail. That is a shame.