I've looked through the booklet sent to everyone on the electoral register in Co Limerick.
But I still don't see much in the way of actual executive power that the directly-elected mayor would have. I mean, he must deliver various development plans, propose budgets, strategies, etc. But the councillors en masse still remain the people who decide whether such plan or budgets are adopted or not. On the other hand, the mayor cannot veto any decision made by the other 40 councillors.
Neither do I see anything about the new mayor's capacity to borrow funds on behalf of the council in order to implement any programme that would be too exorbitant for the standard county budget.
There is nothing that indicates that the new mayor may make or override planning decisions in the county's interest.
I appreciate that the new mayor will appropriate all the ceremonial/representative functions of Official Limerick for 5 years. And that he/she will have a budget to hire 5-6 people in their personal cabinet.
But I am mystified why such a foppish office was ever created by an Irish government - and then guinea-pigged down in Limerick of all places . . .
But I still don't see much in the way of actual executive power that the directly-elected mayor would have. I mean, he must deliver various development plans, propose budgets, strategies, etc. But the councillors en masse still remain the people who decide whether such plan or budgets are adopted or not. On the other hand, the mayor cannot veto any decision made by the other 40 councillors.
Neither do I see anything about the new mayor's capacity to borrow funds on behalf of the council in order to implement any programme that would be too exorbitant for the standard county budget.
There is nothing that indicates that the new mayor may make or override planning decisions in the county's interest.
I appreciate that the new mayor will appropriate all the ceremonial/representative functions of Official Limerick for 5 years. And that he/she will have a budget to hire 5-6 people in their personal cabinet.
But I am mystified why such a foppish office was ever created by an Irish government - and then guinea-pigged down in Limerick of all places . . .