Dubliners may vote on directly-elected mayor as early as next June

Former lord mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu has criticised the timeline of establishing the office, saying that 'a plebiscite is just another delay.'

People in Dublin may vote on a directly-elected mayor as early as next June.

Cabinet on Tuesday agreed to refer the reports of the citizens’ assemblies on Dublin local government, and on biodiversity loss, to the Oireachtas to consider their recommendations.

The report on Dublin local government will be referred to the Oireachtas joint committee on housing seeking advice on whether there should be a plebiscite to determine if Dublin should have a directly-elected mayor, and local government structures as proposed in the recommendations of the citizens’ assembly. 

It will also be asked to give specific advice on the wording of a plebiscite.

The Government has earmarked the date of next year's local and European elections to run a plebiscite in the capital, which would likely be accompanied by a vote on the directly-elected mayor of Limerick.

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Under the recommendations of the citizens' assembly, Dublin's mayor would take control of 15 policy areas in the first five years of the office — housing, homelessness, transport, and emergency services among them — with six more areas including policing, water, and education devolving in years six to 10.

The committee will have until the end of this year to consider the report, though former lord mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu has criticised the timeline of establishing the office, saying that "a plebiscite is just another delay".

The report of the citizens’ assembly on biodiversity loss will be referred to the Oireachtas joint committee on environment and climate action.

Cabinet was also told that Ireland will postpone the delivery of up to 10m doses of covid-19 vaccines which have already been paid for. 

The 2023 delivery of the vaccine will be parcelled out over the next four years, while 4.56m doses will be destroyed or expire.