Limerick Chamber demands immediate review of local mayoral legislation

GOVERNMENT has been urged to initiate an immediate review of Limerick's directly elected mayoral legislation.

It comes after it emerged the evaluation of the laws which underpin the role of Ireland's first elected mayor may now not take place until next year.

It comes despite Fine Gael leader, and Tanaiste Simon Harris previously stating he wanted to see the assessment begin this year.

Limerick Chamber says any delay risks squandering an opportunity for local government reform and causing reputational damage to the city and county.

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Donnacha Hurley, the newly-installed chief executive of the Chamber has written to both Local Government Minister James Browne and Minister of State at the same department John Cummins.

He wrote there is an urgent need for decisive action to address what he describes as "fundamental flaws" in the laws which govern the office held by Mayor John Moran.

“Limerick was promised a bold new model of local leadership with the ability to deliver progress, but what has emerged is a diluted structure that is already showing its limitations. Every day that passes without an immediate review is a missed opportunity to put in place the kind of empowered, accountable governance Limerick needs to compete and grow. Continued delay not only weakens confidence, it also risks serious reputational damage to Limerick as a place that is unable to deliver on its own reform agenda," Mr Hurley added.

Under Section 7 of the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2024, Mr Browne is required to review the operation and effectiveness of the act no later than three years after the establishment day.

Limerick Chamber says there is nothing preventing that review from being brought forward now, and that doing so is essential if the legislation is to be corrected before the issues compound further.

"Limerick Chamber says it has consistently supported the principle of a Directly Elected Mayor, and has long championed the potential of the office to drive accountability, transparency and strategic development across the region. However, it argues that the legislation as enacted failed to establish the Mayor as the executive head of local government, instead creating a role that is disconnected from the operational and strategic levers needed to fulfil an electoral mandate," Mr Hurley stated.

Limerick Chamber said it identified weaknesses in the proposed bill, something it raised with the Department in October 2023.

"These included the failure to make the mayor head of the organisational structure, the absence of full executive powers across key areas such as housing, budget preparation and HR, and a lack of clarity around reporting lines and responsibilities. The Chamber says the structural deficiencies it warned about in 2023 are now plainly visible," the largest business group in the region stated.

Economist and policy director at the Chamber, Sean Golden said: "Limerick Chamber called these issues out clearly in October 2023, before this legislation was enacted. We set out practical, evidence-based amendments to ensure the Office of the Mayor would have the executive authority, operational control and organisational clarity required to succeed and deliver on their mandate. Those warnings were not adequately addressed, and the problems we identified in advance are now materialising in exactly the way we feared. That is why this review must happen immediately, and why it must result in substantive legislative change rather than cosmetic adjustment.”