Gormley: Elected mayor could impose congestion charge

Dubliners could be hit with a congestion charge when the city’s first directly elected mayor takes office in five years' time.

Environment Minister John Gormley today claimed there was a “crying need” for such an office and said he or she should be able to impose a congestion charge if needed.

Modelled on the London mayoral system, the position would have executive powers and oversee the four local authorities within the Dublin region.

The office would have responsibility for key areas like planning, transport and housing.

Unveiling proposals for one of the biggest shake-ups of local government to date, the Green Party leader also outlined plans to give people a greater say in the workings of their community.

“I think a mayor here should have the opportunity to impose a congestion charge if necessary,” Mr Gormley said.

“I think if you look at how London has been transformed in so many ways, particularly in relation to transport, you see that it offers a very good model.

“At the moment you have so many different agencies in the city dealing with transport.

“I think you would see tangible results of a directed elected Mayor of Dublin, in relation to a good bus service which people are crying out for, integrated ticketing, the whole question of proper cycling facilities.”

The proposal would see Dubliners choose their new representative by 2011, just as Londoners chose like Ken Livingstone who was elected as their first Mayor in 2000.

City Council members currently vote on an agreed candidate annually.

One of Mr Livingstone’s most high-profile decisions was to introduce a congestion charge five years ago to reduce traffic in the city centre area.

Mr Gormley praised the London mayor claiming he had made a tremendous difference since assuming office.

“If you’re just waiting for the bus, you know when the next one is going to come, and it’s definitely going to be clean, it’s going to be comfortable. That’s what the citizens of Dublin want.

“There is a crying need for a directly elected mayor with executive power for this city.”

The office would have responsibility for planning, housing, waste, water provision, waste water disposal and transport, with the mayor becoming the chair of the Dublin Transport Authority.

The idea was first mooted at the party’s annual conference in Dundalk earlier this month.

Mr Gormley said the position would be open to anyone who wishes to run, with the term of office either four or five years.

“Previously the proposals for directly elected mayors were shot down because there was a fear that celebrity candidates would get elected without the necessary experience.

“In my view, whoever wants to run should be allowed to run. We have a discerning electorate out there. We’ve had celebrity candidates in the recent General Election who didn’t get very far, so I don’t see that as a problem.”

The Green Paper – Stronger Local Democracy: Options for Change – also proposes a similar idea for all counties and cities, depending on how the Dublin model works.

It also claims town governments could be strengthened by allowing for greater devolution of powers from county to town level, while people would also be allowed to play a greater role in the decision making process.