Sir, – Fingal County Council decided on March 31st not to support the holding of a plebiscite in relation to a directly elected mayor for the Dublin metropolitan area. Most media comment on that decision has been very critical. However, I watched the webcast of the meeting and was struck and indeed impressed by the reasoned and mature approach of all the councillors who spoke, both for and against the plebiscite.
Some of the arguments against the plebiscite rested on the view that a Dublin metropolitan mayor would not be in the interests of Fingal residents. However, it was the logistics and timing of the proposed vote which generated most cross-party support.
I heard Fianna Fáil , Fine Gael, Labour and Socialist Party councillors highlighting what they saw as insufficient detail or clarity in the proposal together with a lack of real public awareness of what was at stake. The conclusion seemed to be that it would be folly to hold a plebiscite as proposed on May 23rd.
In rejecting the plebiscite as framed, I believe Fingal councillors have acted not just in the interests of Fingal residents but also in that of Dublin as a whole. They did not deserve the negative comments made about their decision.
I would recommend anyone interested in the issue to look at the webcast of the meeting, which is available on the Fingal County Council website. Yours, etc.
DANNY O’CONNOR,
Seapark,
Malahide,
Co Dublin
Sir, – With reference to the Fingal councillor who voted against the plebiscite on a directly elected mayor on the basis that, if Dublin had a mayor there would be “no chance of getting a pothole fixed in rural Fingal”, perhaps that is the extent of the issues he faces in his electoral area.
In representing his constituency, how far does a councillor’s responsibility extend? Does it extend to how Dublin as a city region may fare in a competitive global market? Or do double yellow lines in Balbriggan mark the limit? I would have welcomed the plebiscite on a directly elected mayor in May, not least as it might have raised public debate, in Dublin and nationally, about what constitutes appropriate governance for our cities, towns and localities, and indeed our role as an electorate in that governance.
By the way I recently reported a pothole to Dublin City Council, via the council’s website, without resort to councillors or TDs. It was fixed today. Yours, etc,
FINOLA O’DRISCOLL,
Larkfield Gardens,
Kimmage,
Dublin 6W