Guest Blog: Dermot Lacey on an elected Dublin Mayor.

The Editorial in the Irish Independent (1st November) regarding the role of the Dublin Mayor raised a number of interesting and relevant issues. I have long championed the creation of such a post and like others am disappointed by the extent of the powers proposed. However I also share the view of the former Dublin City Manager, John Fitzgerald when he wrote last week of the need for “strong Local Government and Local leadership” (29th October). He is right. The truth is that if freed from the shackles of a disinterested Department of the Environment and a disconnected Department of Finance, Local Government could deliver far more than it is currently allowed. The people of Ireland deserve better.

He is also right that the introduction of directly elected Mayors, without fundamental reform is not the panacea. However it is an important and in my view necessary step forward. This is particularly true in the case of Dublin. Read more…

Meanwhile, in Beijing…

Report to the Politburo Committee on External Affairs.

MOST SECRET.

Subject: The European Union.

Comrades,

This report is a short synopsis of intelligence gathered by the Ministry of State Security and our ambassadors in Europe. As you will be aware, it has been a key concern of the state that the greatest challenge to the spread of our global influence and centralist state planning values is the danger of the West uniting. A robust western defence of the values of individual freedoms, freedom of speech, multi-party elections, and the seperation of powers vindicated through an independent judiciary are not in the interests of the party.

The two key components of this alliance are the United States and an integrated response by the nations of Europe co-ordinated through the European Union.

We have always feared the danger, in trade matters and elsewhere, that the United States and the European Union would combine their overwhelming economic might in the defence of their values, a stance which this state would find challenging. Read more…