LORD MAYOR
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or most people, the last year has brought many changes to how and where we work as the COVID-19 pandemic meant closing offices and doing our jobs remotely. This has been no different for even the highest office in Dublin City, with Lord Mayor Hazel Chu faced with an unprecedented year in which the usual representative events have been limited, but it is something she has embraced, transforming the role of the Lord Mayor in the process. “It was unusual,” Lord Mayor Chu agrees, “because normally the Mansion House is used for lots of functions and events, and we go out to a lot of events in the community, but we couldn’t do that. The role is very ceremonial, so given the circumstances, I transformed it and with the support of the City Managers, we made it more policy-focused.”
HANDS-ON
Dublin Lord Mayor Hazel Chu. Credit: Conor McCabe.
OVERSEEING THE CITY Dublin lord Mayor Hazel Chu talks to Adam Hyland about taking a hands-on approach during an unusual year.
One of these policies that the Lord Mayor took forward was the establishment of a Homeless Task Force, which saw her meet regularly with the Minister for Housing to see where reforms could be brought in. Though the solutions to such a large issue will not happen overnight, this has met with initial success, thanks to this more hands-on approach to the position of Lord Mayor. “One of the five tasks that we have asked for – the Day Service – is already under way,” Lord Mayor Chu tells me. “We are also creating a framework for an integration strategy at the moment, and in terms of COVID-19 and mobility, we have put in place more measures. There has been a lot more working with the City Managers on the policy side of things. So, it was completely different to other years, but it was something we had to do,” she adds. Using the position to get results through action rather than standing as a symbolic figure is something Lord Mayor Chu would like to see develop over time, and with this comes her view of another change that is needed. “I’ve spoken to previous mayors, the Chief Executive and other councillors
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