Opposition parties have expressed dismay at the content of the Local Government Bill, which was published today by the Government.
Under the terms of legislation, sitting TDs will have to give up their dual mandate and will no longer have the right to hold local authority seats.
Opposition parties have criticised the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, for not undertaking more radical reform.
Fine Gael and Labour have been particularly critical of the decision not to allow the direct election of mayors to their posts. They have accused the Government of cowardice, saying it was afraid to face the electorate.
Mr Eamon Gilmore, the Labour Party spokesperson on the environment and local government, accused Fianna Fáil of running away from the electorate and that it feared "the wrath of the people".
Fine Gael environment and local government spokesperson Mr Bernard Allen said the Government should at least have introduced proposals "for direct elections for the positions of Lord Mayor in the cities of Dublin and Cork".
He also queried the constitutionality of the Bill and called on the Government to publish the Attorney General's opinion on the matter.
TDs and Senators that hold council seats are to get a financial incentive of €5,000 to vacate their council seats next June.
The payments for 128 Oireachtas members, combined with a €7,800 retirement fee, will cost the taxpayer about €1.5 million.
