<P> In 1926, a committee of commercial and industrial interests in Cork came together to consider a scheme of city government . Having regard to the city's experience of commissioners and recent experience in the United States a council--manager plan of city government was proposed . </P> <P> After discussion between the minister for local government and local representatives, the minister, Richard Mulcahy, introduced as a government measure, the Cork City Management Bill (1929) and it became law despite opposition . The minister proposed and the Oireachtas enacted similar provision for Dublin City in 1930 . Similar laws were passed for Limerick in 1934 and Waterford in 1939 under the Fianna Fáil government . </P> <P> Under the County (Management) Act (1940), which was brought into operation in August 1942, a county manager is the manager of every borough or town in that county, but since the 1990s, has the power to delegate these functions to any other officer of that borough or town council . </P> <P> The system was modified also in subsequent legislation, particularly the City and County Management (Amendment) Act (1955), which made some adjustments to give greater power to the council members, and the Local Government Act 1985, which provided for the council--manager system in Galway City once detached for local government purposes from Galway County . </P>

Model gives greater democratic control to elected officials rather than appointed ones