Renewed calls for new vote on directly elected mayor for Cork City

CALLS for a directly elected mayor for Cork City have been renewed as Dublin may go to the polls next year to elect a mayor with executive powers.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar signalled recently that a plebiscite could go ahead next year in Dublin at the same time as the local and European elections, in line with recommendations from a report from the Dublin Citizens Assembly.

Cork City Labour representative Peter Horgan said there needs to be a re-run of the public vote to create a directly elected mayor for Cork, to “move away from the unelected local government executive model once and for all”.

“We see that Dublin will be holding a vote next year on this issue, and Cork should go back to the people again with a more thought out argument rather than Project Fear that was used in 2019,” said Mr Horgan.

“The people of Cork deserve to have an executive officer of the city that is answerable to the people. Rather than the finger pointing and blaming that happens now, we would have an accountable officeholder that can be lauded with success or removed from office on their failure.

“It is worrisome at the same time that Limerick, which voted in favour in 2019, still does not have a date for mayoral elections to take place.

“There is an opportunity to rebalance local government outside of Dublin with a date for the Limerick mayor election and another ask for the people of Cork,” added Mr Horgan.

Independent Cork City Cllr Mick Finn was Lord Mayor of Cork in 2019. Mr Finn said he has the same concerns now as he had back then. “My problem at the time was that it was rushed. It wasn’t properly explained or thought out,” he said.

“The foundations of the position weren’t properly explained. And here we are now again having Government coming out, only a year away from local elections, when this vote will be held.” All the information, such as the office’s devolved powers from Government, should be outlined now and debated over the next 12 months before being put to the people, said Mr Finn.

“What we don’t need is another high-paid politician hamstrung by red tape. I can’t see central government, both its elected and unelected arms, relinquishing sufficient powers to make it the impactful role it could be,” he said.

“Even though I agree with the concept of a directly elected mayor, but it’s the manner and the mechanisms that we don’t know about, and how it’s going to function. Here it is again being put out literally 12 months from a date on something that will have a major impact on their lives.” A mayor with executive powers could improve peoples’ lives by taking responsibility for housing, roads, and health, without having to go to central Government, said Mr Finn.

Devolving certain powers from Government departments to Cork City Council is a move that councillors have sought over the years, he said.

“There is a lot of bureaucracy between councils and departments. How would they relinquish their powers to a directly elected mayor,” asked Mr Finn.

The model of how it would work “still hasn’t actually been worked out.”

A spokesperson for Cork City Council said it has not been informed of any proposal to hold another plebiscite in Cork in relation to the establishment of the role of directly elected lord mayor.

“Director of Services of Corporate Affairs and International Relations, Paul Moynihan, has confirmed that he is not aware of the matter being raised in recent times by any councillor by way of a motion. The calling of a plebiscite for a directly elected mayor would be a decision for Central Government,” said the spokesperson.

The 2019 Cork plebiscite was defeated by a margin of 983 votes. Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin described the government’s campaign on the issue as “shambolic.”

A directly elected mayor would be responsible for drafting City Hall’s budget and have the main policymaking role at the local authority.

Concerns centred on how a mayor with executive powers could reduce the powers of elected representatives, and that it might erode the office’s traditional duties.

‘Disappointed’ over defeat of directly elected mayor plebiscite

The Lord Mayor of Cork Deirdre Forde said she was “disappointed” that the plebiscite for a directly elected mayor in Cork was defeated by a margin of 983 votes in 2019.

The plan for a directly elected mayor in Cork was rejected by 34,347 votes to 33,364 votes.

A plebiscite is a poll consulting the public on a proposal — in this case, establishing a directly elected mayor of Cork. Those registered to vote for the local elections in Cork city were eligible to vote in the plebiscite on May 24.

People were asked to vote on whether they wanted to directly elect the mayor for Cork city. A yes vote would have meant that in future years there would be a mayor for Cork city who would be voted for by the people of Cork city and the mayor would serve a five-year term and have real powers to drive Cork’s development.

The mayor would also be responsible for proposing the budget every year and putting forward development plans, while the chief executive would remain responsible for managing the staff of the city council, as well as its day-to-day running.

Lord Mayor Forde said she was “disappointed” at the results.

“I think that part of the reason was it wasn’t clearly outlined what it entailed, how much it would cost, how much would be spent on it, and specifically what duties the mayor would have and what powers the mayor would have.

“I think if that was changed and we did know those things, a lot of people would certainly change their vote.

“I understand that Dublin is going to have a vote now with the locals next year and Limerick has it so we’ve got to keep our eye on the ball to see what people want and what’s going to deliver for our cities.”

When asked if she thought the result of the vote could be revisited, she said: “The people have spoken and I wouldn’t like to say that we would just turn it around again but we’re certainly closely watching how Dublin does it and what the result of that will be.

“I’m for anything that will bring more money to Cork for more projects to make Cork the best second city in the country.”