Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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647. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the progress that has been made on plans to implement the decision of people in Limerick city and county to support the referendum on a directly-elected mayor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42231/19]

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The people of Limerick City and County decided in a plebiscite held on 24 May 2019 to support the Government's proposals for a directly elected mayor with executive functions for their Council area. Work is now well underway on the necessary and extensive preparatory work  to deliver on the will of the people of Limerick.

Under Section 44 of the Local Government Act 2019, the Minister is required to prepare and submit to the Houses of the Oireachtas a report with legislative proposals for a directly elected mayor for Limerick, within two years of the plebiscite vote, by 24 May 2021. However, my Department is prioritising this work with a view to bringing the report and legislative proposals forward at the earliest opportunity, targeting an election for directly elected mayor of Limerick City and County Council in 2021. 

Within my Department work is advancing on the necessary systematic examination and analysis of all legislation under its remit conferring functions and powers on local authority chief executives. A similar exercise has also commenced within other Government Departments. An inter-Departmental working group has been established to advance this element of the work and my Department is also engaging with other key Departments individually to facilitate matters.

Together with analysis of the existing functions that will be transferred to the new Office of Mayor, I am also examining the potential for additional functions to be devolved to the new Office.  

I also intend to establish an implementation advisory group, comprising representatives of the key stakeholders in Limerick, particularly the elected Council and management of Limerick City and County Council, to advise on the implementation of the mandate given by the people of Limerick. I expect this Group to be established and to meet for the first time in the coming weeks.