Dublin ‘unlikely’ to vote on mayor until spring 2011

DUBLIN is not likely to vote on a new mayor until next spring the Green Party has admitted, effectively giving up on its commitment to have the election this autumn.

Party chairman, Senator Dan Boyle, said if the legislation creating the new position is not signed off by Cabinet at today’s meeting – the last one before September – then the vote will not happen this year.

“It’s looking ever increasingly unlikely that it will be held this autumn,” he accepted yesterday.

Mr Boyle and his party leader, John Gormley, had repeatedly stated a commitment to hold the election this year.

But an internal party memo reveals the Greens expect the legislation to be passed in time for a spring election and that it would make most sense to hold it along with the three pending by-elections and a proposed children’s referendum.

The junior coalition party was accused of failing to uphold parliamentary democracy because of the delay in three by-elections to fill seats in Waterford, Donegal South-West and Dublin South.

Donegal-based Sinn Féin senator Pearse Doherty, said: “The Green Party went into government with a promise of upholding democratic accountability. So far they have failed.”

He said: “John Gormley should state whether or not he is opposed to the holding of the three outstanding by-elections.

“If he is not opposed then he and his party should be putting pressure on their Fianna Fáil partners to ensure that the by-elections take place at the earliest opportunity.”

Labour Party leader, Eamon Gilmore, suggested that the mayoral election might never happen at all.

“The plan was to have it in the summer of this year but the legislation hasn’t even been published yet.

“There’s a question mark as to whether it’s going to happen at all,” Mr Gilmore said.