Voters in Galway could soon be asked in a referendum to decide on whether the city should have a directly elected mayor.

Legislation that provides for a plebiscite to be held in the Galway City Council area is due to be enacted when the Oireachtas returns this autumn.

It would mean a referendum could be held to coincide with the local and European elections, which are due to take place from June 6-9 of next year.

If passed, the 2029 local elections would be the earliest a mayoral vote could take place.

The people of Limerick have already voted in favour of having a directly elected mayor, in a plebiscite held in 2019.

It passed by a margin of 52% for, 48% against, paving the way for mayoral elections to be held next year alongside the Council and EU Parliament elections.

Before the Summer recess, the Government signed off on publication of the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023 which establishes the office of mayor and its mayoral functions, sets out the governance structures to support that office and provides a code for the election of the mayor.

A spokesperson for the Department of Local Government and Planning confirmed to the Galway City Tribune the Bill also makes provision for holding plebiscites in other local authority areas, including Galway City Council, on the question of whether to directly elect a mayor.

City Councillor Alan Cheevers said he would be pushing his Fianna Fáil colleague, Darragh O’Brien, the senior minister in that Department, to have the legislation passed in time to hold a referendum on this issue in Galway City next June.

Cllr Cheevers said three years ago, the former City East councillor for the Social Democrats, Owen Hanley, tabled a motion that was unanimously supported, calling for legislation to facilitate a referendum on a directly elected mayoral office in Galway.

“At the moment the Mayor is a token office. It’s a great honour, of course, but it has no real power,” said Cllr Cheevers.

“It’s really important we get this ballot paper, to give the people of Galway the option of a directly elected mayor. I’ll be pushing for that referendum. I think it’s really important. We need a strong office of Mayor. We need somebody elected who is higher than a councillor and who can make real decisions and be held to account,” he added.

A Department spokesperson said: “The Bill provides for holding plebiscites in other local authority areas, including Galway City Council, on the question of whether to directly elect a mayor. It is intended that the Bill will commence in the Oireachtas early in the next session with a view to enactment as soon as possible.”

In Limerick, the Bill creates a three-pillar structure of local governance, including the elected council, the directly elected mayor, and the director general, formerly chief executive of the Council.

The directly elected mayor of Limerick will have an annual salary of €150,000 and an office staffed by five.

The officeholder will have executive functions at strategic policy level, including in the areas of development plans, economic strategy, housing, transport, traffic management, and environmental services.

The mayor would be an ex-officio member of the Council, alongside the existing 40 councillors, and hold the same rights and responsibilities.

The mayor would take over the role of representing Limerick abroad from the current Cathaoirleach.

The new Director General would retain operational responsibility for running the Council including HR, managing finances, allocation of grants and administration of schemes, and legal proceedings and enforcement matters.

The elected members of the Council would retain its reserved functions such as adopting annual budgets, altering Local Property Tax, making Development Plans, disposing of land, approving grants, and adopting service delivery plans.

Councillors would also have a governance role in holding the elected mayor accountable through mayor’s questions at plenary council meetings.