Ahern comments on directly-elected mayor “out of touch” says Lacey

Former Lord Mayor of Dublin Dermot Lacey has called Bertie Ahern’s comments about Dublin not needing a directly-elected mayor “out of touch.”

At an event in Dublin, the former Taoiseach said the idea of a directly-elected mayor was “stupid,” and that Dublin has done well without it.

Ahern made reference to Dublin thriving without a directly-elected mayor, pointing to developments around Temple Bar and the Docklands as an example of Dublin’s success.

Labour councillor for Pembroke and former Lord Mayor Dermot Lacey rubbished Ahern’s claims and accused him of revisionism.

“Bertie Ahern is the very embodiment of why a Minister for Dublin is a stupid idea; what did he ever do for Dublin in all the posts he held?” he said.

“Contrary to his myth-making, the two office IFSC was the work of Haughey, while the far bigger Dublin Docklands Renewal was the work of Brendan Howlin and Ruairi Quinn.”

He said that Ahern is “stuck in the dark days,” saying that the directly-elected mayor referendum in Limerick has driven engagement among residents.

“As a former Lord Mayor, I am open to the Directly Elected Mayor process. However, reform of local government and ensuring independent finance raising for the role is key.

“As Taoiseach, Ahern led the charge in the opposite direction,” he said.

A 2023 from the Council of Europe found that Ireland is in the bottom 5 nations in Europe for local democracy.

The report said “although Ireland is a solid democracy, it remains one of the most centralised countries in Europe” and “there is still a lot to be done before local self-government in Ireland is on par with other European countries”.

Ireland ranking alongside the likes of Russia, Hungary and Moldova, nations that are considered flawed democracies or borderline authoritarian by the United Nations, is a sore point for Labour.

In Labour’s local election manifesto, the party called for more cities in Ireland to have directly-elected mayors and for councillors to have more powers.

“We need fundamental reform of our planning system returning power to local authorities. Labour believes that our locally elected Councillors should have the power to build homes, tackle energy poverty, address shortages of childcare, and have more say over local policing and community healthcare plans,” party leader Ivana Bacik said.

Speaking in January, Labour councillor John Walsh said  “this government persists with this dangerous myth that centralisation of power is the same as efficiency, and this is not the case.”