Plans to hold a public vote on whether to have a directly elected mayor for Dublin have been overwhelmingly approved by city councillors.

Dublin City Council voted by 50 votes to allow the mayoral proposal to be put to a plebiscite of Dublin residents on May 23rd.

No councillor voted against. Former Labour councillor, now an Independent Paddy Bourke abstained, while there was one absentee from the 52 member council, Fine Gael's Bill Tormey

However the other three Dublin local authorities have yet to vote on the issue and could block the plebiscite from going ahead.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, South Dublin and Fingal will all hold their votes on March 31st.

If any one of the three votes against holding the public vote, the proposition of having a directly elected mayor for Dublin will be dropped. A majority of the council membership in each local authority must vote in favour rather than just a majority of councillors who turn up on the night of the vote.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, South Dublin councillors are expected to approve the plan, albeit by a slimmer margin that the city council, but Fingal councillors look likely to veto the plebiscite.