WHEN the votes are cast and the dust settles, Limerick’s first directly-elected mayor will be already armed with a pre-promised agenda of a vision for the city and county.
Before the new office was created, the mayor had two main functions – one was to chair meetings of the full council and the other was to be an ambassador for the city, meeting other dignitaries, important visitors, and having receptions to honour the great and the good.
The new executive mayor will have a very different role, one that is more hands-on, with a staff of five, a budget, and a term of five years in office (in comparison with the current one-year term).
Most important of all, the person holding the office will be elected by the people of Limerick, as opposed to be chosen by elected council members.
The mayor will be the executive head of Limerick City and County Council, taking on many of the responsibilities of the chief executive.
The elected candidate will be responsible for developing and delivering a mayoral programme that sets out their vision and objectives for their term, supported by a dedicated mayoral budget.
The new mayor will have a direct line to all government ministers and will engage directly with national government through the Limerick Mayoral and Government Consultative Forum, which will be chaired by the Minister for Housing, Local Government, and Heritage.
The successful candidate will also lead the new Limerick Project Ireland 2040 Delivery Board ,focusing on implementing the key planning strategies in Limerick and they will also be leading this board’s transport subgroup, which focuses on transport infrastructure and services.
The role is a first in Ireland and also, for the first time, the mayor will be directly answerable to the people of the city and county.
The mayor will also be a member of the council, with the same powers to propose and raise any issues of concern.
They will also still be a person to represent Limerick locally, nationally, and internationally, taking on the role the Cathaoirleach currently has outside of the council chamber.
The mayor will receive the same salary as a chief executive of a local authority (Level 5), currently €154,134 per annum.
Anyone aged 18 or above who is on the register of electors in Limerick city or county can vote.
Everyone should check the register of electors to ensure they are a registered voter (checktheregister.ie).
Voters going to the polling station should bring photo identification (passport or driving licence). A full list of the acceptable forms of identification will be on the polling information card delivered in the post.
