LABOUR LEADER Eamon Gilmore has asked the Government to provide Opposition parties with the outline of legislation which would pave the way for the election of a lord mayor of Dublin.

He said that it was in the public interest that they know what kind of post the Government had in mind.

“In the interest of electoral fair play, if there is to be an election for this office some time in 2010, it would be important to have the heads of the Bill so that we can at least see the job description for the post which would be useful for all political parties in discussing it with prospective candidates,” he said.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen said he would ask Minister for the Environment John Gormley about his plans in that regard.

He confirmed the heads of the Bill had been approved by the Cabinet earlier.

Mr Cowen said that the Programme for Government stated that the election would be held this year.

“The Minister has indicated his hope that he would like to have it in the middle of June,” he added. “At the moment, that depends on the passage of the legislation and the work being done on it.”

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny also asked about the progress of the legislation, observing that “it is not that I have a recently freed candidate for this position”.