Dublin needs a Directly Elected Mayor to drive real and positive change – Geoghegan

Dublin needs a directly elected Mayor to achieve the recommendations of the Dublin City Taskforce and deliver the change our capital needs, a Fine Gael TD has said.

James Geoghegan TD, the party’s Dublin spokesperson, wants to see the establishment of an office for a directly elected Dublin Mayor to drive through positive changes the city needs through strong democratic leadership.

The Deputy’s comments come ahead of the expected publication of a government memo on the implementation of the Taskforce’s recommendations.

“The Dublin City Taskforce has set out a clear and compelling vision for our capital,” said Deputy Geoghegan. “But without a directly elected mayor, with real powers and democratic accountability, that vision risks being lost in bureaucracy and inaction.”

Deputy Geoghegan pointed to the recommendation of a plebiscite on the creation of a mayoral office as a vital first step toward reform.

“Over half of European capitals have directly elected mayors. Meanwhile, Dubliners are left with one of the weakest systems of local government in Europe. The Citizens’ Assembly made this point clearly almost three years ago—and its recommendations have been left to gather dust.”

In his recently published policy document titled ‘Building a Better Dublin’, Deputy Geoghegan makes the case for a directly elected mayor with real executive powers, modelled on successful examples like London.

“This is about transparency and accountability. Research shows that citizens are 15–20% more likely to trust local government in high-transparency systems. And 60% of Citizens’ Assembly participants supported the directly elected mayor model. Dubliners know that responsive government delivers better outcomes.”

Deputy Geoghegan said that vital issues such as transport, housing, and policing must be brought closer to the people they affect.

“We need to devolve decision-making in areas that most impact daily life. Local problems are best solved by local leadership. But without a visible, accountable, and empowered mayor for Dublin, we are limiting our ability to deliver meaningful reform.”

“Dublin deserves a leader who is directly answerable to its people. Without that, we will continue to drift without direction, without progress, and without the change our capital needs,” Deputy Geoghegan concluded.