New "Mayor of Dublin" reform for 2010

Yixian

http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/LocalGovernmentAdministration/News/MainBody,20262,en.htm

“I am making the most significant change to leadership in Dublin since the foundation of the State,” said Mr John Gormley, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, today (12 May, 2008) when he announced the Government decision to introduce a directly elected Mayor for the Dublin Region.
“2010 will see the direct-election, by the people of the Dublin Region, of a highly-visible and accountable Mayor who will have the authority and powers to deliver real leadership for the city and region. The Mayor’s leadership will derive from a suite of substantial powers across the functions of local government,” said the Minister. “I also believe, that by virtue of the breadth of the Mayor’s democratic mandate, he or she will be an extremely strong political voice speaking on behalf of Dubliners in local, regional and national politics.”

I've spent a lot of time in London, UK, and live there with my girlfriend now and again. It's a city with a vast list of things going for it and also a vast list of things going against it. One of the best decisions it made was to reform the mayoral role into what it is today, the directly elected mayor who acts as the face of the city, helps unify the various forces at work within it and pushes through their own particular flavor of city planning.

The mayor of London almost appears like a "president of London" and can often take the city in a direction much different to the rest of the country.

So, Dublin is doing the same, and I am very glad. I'm hoping that a lot of enthusiasm goes into this reform from the public as that will be required to allow the position to benefit Dublin as much as it has benefited LDN. Candidates will also need to be very good public speakers, and it tends to be in LDN that they are rather outspoken and eccentric.

What do you guys think? Who would you like to see as mayor? Personally I think Joe Higgins would be the PERFECT mayor for Dublin, EXACTLY the kind of person you need for the job.

I just hope an Irish Boris Johnson doesn't come out of the woodwork :S

Yixian

Actually the Mayor of Dublin is set to have slightly more power than the Mayor of London, with the exception of policing.

Specifically the Mayor of Dublin will have the power to raise taxes, as far as I understand.

Like the Mayor of London the Mayor of Dublin will have a lot of control over transport, becoming as chair of the Dublin Transport Authority.

London also has a London Assembly but I'm not sure that's planned for Dublin..

Still, would be nice to see a new Dublin City Hall