DUBLINERS MAY VOTE in 2024 on whether they are in favour of a directly elected mayor. 

In 2019, the electorate in Limerick voted to have a directly electorate mayor but voters in Cork and Waterford decided against similar proposals. 

The Cabinet previously signed off on plans to hold the first mayoral election in Limerick this year, if the public health situation allowed it, but this is now unlikely.  

The question of the best model for Dublin’s local government is the next item scheduled to be examined by the Citizens’ Assembly and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said today that the government hopes this takes place next year. 

He said this would allow a timeline whereby Dubliners could vote on the Assembly’s recommendations on the same day that the 2024 local and European elections are held.  

“In Dublin we have an unusual arrangement with the four local authorities and four mayors.  It is next on the list to have a citizens’ assembly on the issue,” Varadkar said. 

We are keen to ensure that happens next year, with a view to being able to put proposals to the people of all four Dublin local authorities in a plebiscite on the same day as the local and European elections in 2024.   

Varadkar was responding to a question from Fianna Fáil TD and former Dublin mayor Paul McAuliffe who said that Dublin was in need of “stronger local government”. 

“Dublin has been promised a directly elected mayor in the programme for Government. Can the Tánaiste say when the Government might bring forward either legislation or a convention with a view to getting consensus on the issue?,” McAuliffe said. 

“There are many aspects of cultural, social and business life in Dublin that need stronger local government. Housing is one example of an area where the government has given all of the powers to local authorities, yet, I do not see the ambition at local authority level to deliver.”