‘We dropped the ball five years ago': Renewed calls for directly elected mayor for Cork 

Calls for a directly elected mayor for Cork city and county have been renewed as Limerick will go to the polls next week to elect a mayor with executive powers, a move that could give the region a “competitive advantage” says Fine Gael senator Tim Lombard.

The issue was raised by Mr Lombard in the Seanad yesterday morning, reigniting debate on the 2019 Cork plebiscite which was defeated by a margin of 983 votes.

On June 7, in conjunction with local elections, Limerick will go to the polls to directly elect a mayor for the city and county.

Speaking to The Echo, Mr Lombard said that he is seeking a statement from the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, on plans to begin this same process for Cork city and county.

“We dropped the ball five years ago,” Mr Lombard said.

“I think there should have been a proposed plebiscite across the entire county and city of Cork to give a more fair understanding of what’s required. I think the Limerick model is something we need to look at,” he added.

Additional powers 

Mr Lombard said that Cork city and county coming together to have one local authority, with one directly elected mayor, would give the region additional power on a national level.

“We would have the ability to punch above our weight, and I was starting that debate again,” he said.

“Limerick has a five-year head start with an ability to shout at a national level, which Cork does not have because of the fractured nature of the local authority. Having one local authority fighting with another local authority in one county does nothing for us.

“This is how society has changed, it’s about deliverable rates,” Mr Lombard added. “If you have a directly elected mayor, the public have the right when it comes to an election to judge them and or move that person on. At the moment we have an executive in place that are appointed to rule. There is no direct accountability to the public. I want the Minister to come out and give us his vision because you can’t have one county with an advantage over another.”

Motion 

Councillor Lorna Bogue, who represents the Cork city southeast ward said that a renewed plebiscite on the matter is what the people of Cork need to see tangible change made to public concerns.

“I passed a motion at the last Cork City Council meeting that will send a letter to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage asking for this question to be put to the people again,” she said.

“It’s time we have another plebiscite on this where people have more information about the role, as in the right hands, [it] could make a huge difference.

“A directly elected mayor will be able to speak to the issues of the public with a powerful democratic mandate, that is second only to the President. I think the consensus has changed, and that needs to be tested,” she added.