Govt to resurrect efforts to ban dual mandate
Environment Minister Martin Cullen is reportedly preparing new legislation to ban the so-called ‘dual mandate’ which allows TDs to also hold seats on city and county councils.
The proposed legislation could be introduced before the end of the year in an effort to have it operational by the next local elections in 2004.
However, such a move would anger Fianna Fail backbenchers, who opposed former Environment Minister Noel Dempsey’s efforts to ban the dual mandate last year.
Mr Dempsey was eventually forced to abandon the proposed ban after the four independent TDs who propped up the last Government withdrew their support.
