Fianna Fail fears celebrity mayors, says Labour TD

Mr Tommy Broughan (Labour, Dublin North East) accused Fianna Fáil of being afraid of personalities seeking election if the Government went ahead with directly-elected mayors.

"The direct election of mayors has been suppressed because Fianna Fáil is terrified by the prospect of fighting a direct election in every county and city," he said.

The Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, interjected: "The deputy should not be silly." However, Mr Broughan continued, adding: "The party has a nightmare that great personalities like Bono, Pat Kenny, Vincent Browne and other media stars like Ronan Keating would run for election as mayors of cities and counties.

"Fianna Fáil has decided it cannot allow that as its candidates would be buried for the first time in the councils it has run like Tammany Hall for the past 80 years."

Mr Broughan was speaking during the resumed debate on the Local Government Bill, 2003, abolishing the dual mandate,whereby members of the Oireachtas can also be members of local authorities. The Bill passed its second stage and will now be considered by an Oireachtas committee.

Earlier, Ms Mildred Fox (Independent, Wicklow) who with Mr Jackie Healy-Rae (Independent, Kerry South) opposed the move in the lifetime of the last government, reiterated her opposition to the Bill.

"The idea of reforming the Dáil has been suggested. I support that suggestion," she added. "We should sit for more days per week, sit for longer sessions, take a shorter summer recess and then, and only then, could we point the finger at the dual mandate and tackle it, at that stage, if it needs tackling."

Mr Healy-Rae said he considered being a member of Kerry County Council as a way to serving his constituents to the best of his ability. "The end of the dual mandate is unconstitutional," he claimed.

Mr Padraic McCormack (FG, Galway West) said that one could argue for the Bill if it made a proper attempt to reform local government. "Weighing up all the considerations, I have come to the conclusion that I oppose this legislation."