Elections 2024: What a directly elected mayor means for Limerick

How did we get to the position where Limerick is about to elect an executive mayor?

Alongside the last local election in 2019, voters in Limerick, Cork and Waterford were asked whether they would like to see a directly elected mayor with enhanced powers. While voters on Leeside and the Déise rejected the proposal, Limerick’s electorate approved it.

What powers will the mayor have?

The newly-elected mayor of Limerick will have a whole raft of new powers that first citizens up to now have not enjoyed. They will manage an annual budget of €700m, provide a programme for their term in office. There is also a discretionary fund of €40m being provided to the first holder of the role.

How influential will the Mayor of Limerick be?

The Mayor of Limerick will have regular, scheduled meetings with senior government ministers.

The mayor will develop and implement a housing strategy for Limerick. They will be charged with managing road transport and safety.

How about planning?

The new mayor will come up with a development plan which will ultimately govern what is allowed to be built and where in Limerick. But it still must fall in line with goals set by government in Project Ireland 2040, which foresees a doubling of Limerick's population in the next 15 years. He or she will be able to focus on what transport is provided to which places in Limerick.

Will the new mayor be more powerful than previous Limerick mayors?

Yes. To all intents and purposes, first citizens up to now have mainly been ceremonial, their only real power being to provide a casting ballot when a vote in council is tied. The new mayor will serve a five-year term. Up to now, the mayor has only been in place for a year before an election took place - of his or her colleagues on the local authority.

What will become of the council’s existing chief executive?

Dr Pat Daly is moving into a new role of director general, giving Limerick Council the look and feel of a government department. He will retain a number of powers.

How many candidates are there in the mayoral election?

Fifteen hopefuls will slug it out for just one seat.

When will we know who has become the first directly elected mayor of Limerick?

Early indications of how candidates may have done will be available from Saturday, with an army of tally-checkers keeping an eye on who has voted for who as the ballot papers for the mayoralty, local election and European elections are sorted and separated.

It is anticipated that counting in the mayoral election will take place from Monday morning, once the 40 new members of Limerick City and County Council are known. A result is expected late on Monday or on Tuesday, although these timelines are at the mercy of other events such as recount requests in the council election, and other unforeseen delays.

How important is this new role for Limerick?

It is being seen as the biggest change in local governance across Ireland in more than a century. Other cities across the State will be watching Limerick to see if the concept of a directly elected mayor can work, as it has done in cities like London, and other major cities across the globe.

What will happen after a mayor is elected?

According to the legislation underpinning the directly elected mayor's role in Limerick, the winning candidate will take office a week after polling day, on Friday, June 14. The new council will meet for the first time on Friday, June 21. Here, the mayor will address members, and there will be the election of a Príomh Chomhairleoir.

Wait, what is the Príomh Chomhairleoir?

Literally translated, it means ‘prime councillor’. This will be a councillor drawn from the 40 elected members of the new local authority. They will be elected by their colleagues on a year-long term to chair the full meetings of the council, and will deputise for the directly elected mayor when they are not available.

What happens if a Dail TD is elected as Mayor of Limerick?

Two members of the Oireachtas are contesting the election to become Limerick's first directly elected mayor. If either of them is elected to the office, Limerick could see its first Dail by-election since 1998. More likely, however, the seat will remain vacant until a general election, with many pundits expecting Taoiseach Simon Harris to go to the Aras this autumn.