Cabinet concern at power of elected mayors

Cabinet ministers and the Attorney General privately expressed concerns that €130,000-a-year directly elected mayors in Cork, Limerick, and Waterford could become too powerful, a confidential memo reveals.

Ministers warned that the new positions must be subject to “proper checks and balances” to avoid an over-concentration of control. Last week, ministers approved the holding of plebiscites in the three electoral areas and to create the legal frameworks for such offices, but behind the scenes concerns were raised by ministers about the new roles having too much power.