Besides the usual local and European elections, one particular election sparked widespread national interest: voters in County Limerick elected John Moran as their mayor. You might wonder why that's a big deal. Well, it's historic: Moran is the first directly elected mayor in Irish history.

Contrary to most European countries, mayors in Ireland are not directly elected by the public. Instead, they are typically appointed by members of the local council on an annual basis. Their role is largely symbolic, with little power, as the day-to-day administrative functions are usually handled by a professional county or city manager.

In 2019, a plebiscite on local government reform was held in three Irish counties, and Limerick was the only one where the Yes vote won. The newly elected mayor will have executive powers never seen before at the local level in Ireland: he will have a designated budget, staff, and a five-year term. He will also have a direct line to Ireland’s ministers in the capital.

Local authorities in Ireland have the least power and autonomy among EU countries according to the local democracy index; its local governance model is considered overly centralised and and it has one of the lowest level of public spending per capita at local level in Europe. In 2022, only 9.7% of government expenditure was managed by local authorities, compared to the EU average of 34.3%.

When local authorities have little control over this spending, it might become challenging to make decisions tailored to the specific needs and priorities of the communities, leaving them disengaged from local politics and vulnerable to political shifts in the country.