Vote on directly elected Dublin Lord Mayor next year welcome, says McAuliffe

Fianna Fáil TD and party spokesperson on Local Government has welcomed an indication from Taoiseach Leo Varadkar today that Dubliners will be asked next year whether they want a directly elected mayor.

Paul McAuliffe, TD for Dublin North West said: “I understand that such a vote could be held on the same day as the local and European elections in June of next year, which I welcome.

“Dubliners are increasingly becoming frustrated that when it comes to major decisions impacting on their lives in their city, they find that those for whom they voted for, do not have the power to make or rescind a decision.”

The former Lord Mayor went on to say that there is no doubt that there’s a “huge amount of goodwill” in the city for the office and that is something which should be built on.

“Having a directly elected mayor would enable the people of Dublin to have a greater say over how services and infrastructure are delivered and how the city develops. Not only would it provide strong, decisive leadership but also bring forward accountability.”