INDEPENDENT mayoral candidate and sitting Limerick councillor Frankie Daly has promised that, if elected, he will be a first citizen that will listen attentively and work tirelessly for the people of Limerick. He has been a local councillor since 2014 when he was first elected as a member of the Labour Party. Returning as an independent candidate in 2019, he topped the poll in Limerick City North.
A father of two and a youth worker by profession, Frankie narrowly missed out on a seat in the 2020 General Election. Now, with his eye fixed on the mayoralty, the Corbally man believes he is the right one for the job.
His priority over the five-year term if voted Limerick’s firest directly-elected mayor, he tells me, will be to make a significant positive impact on improving the quality of life for people across Limerick and improving the attractiveness of Limerick for international investment and jobs.
His mayoral plan includes improving healthcare provision at University Hospital Limerick and across the region, improving the supply of affordable housing, attracting more jobs to Limerick, and building safer and sustainable neighbourhoods.
The Limerick Post asked the City North representative about the skillset he believes he brings to the mix to make him a suitable candidate for the lucrative new role.
“I have over 10 years’ experience as an elected councillor chairing special policy committees and sitting on crucial boards and committees, such as Discover Limerick Designated Activity Company, the Southern Regional Assembly, the Transport SPC, Community and Leisure, and as part of the elected council approving the annual budgets of Limerick City and County Council,” Cllr Daly says.
“In these roles, I have built a network of relationships, working with staff across the local authority, staff in various government departments, with An Garda Síochána, the HSE, and other state agencies, as well as voluntary, community, and sporting groups across the city and county.
“In addition to having significant practical experience in politics, I have a degree in Media and Communications Studies from Mary Immaculate College, a diploma in Addiction Studies from the University of Limerick, and both a certificate and diploma in Local Government studies from the Institute of Public Administration (IPA), and more recently a post graduate diploma in Public Sector Management from the IPA and University College Dublin,” he explained.
‘Listening to the people of Limerick’
Cllr Daly envisions himself being a “transformative” mayor, one who will deliver significant projects and initiatives that will have a positive impact on Limerick, from healthcare, affordable housing, jobs, transport, education, and community facilities.
“This will be achieved by building on the many positive initiatives and work already underway in our communities that are currently being led by excellent Limerick people across our city and county. I will aim to provide the support, encouragement, funding, and assistance they need to turn their plans into realities. There are three words on my election posters — Integrity, Dedication and Experience, and that’s what I intend to bring to the role.”
The Corbally man says his campaign is based “on listening to the people of Limerick to hear their concerns and take on board their hopes for the future”.
He is of the view that the new mayor needs to be an Independent one to maximise inclusivity in order to represent all the people of Limerick.
“I have listened to the debates and the interviews that have been held ahead of the mayoral election and it’s crystal clear that this new historic role needs to be an Independent voice and cannot be tied to any political party with their rigid party manifestos. The mayor needs to be answerable first and foremost to the people of Limerick, not their political party leadership,” he says.
“The policies of the new directly-elected mayor need to be the policies that the people of Limerick need, not the policies and beliefs of a political party and its leadership. Most importantly, the mayor will need to be free from any potential political party beliefs and bias so they can work equally and fairly with all 40 councillors regardless of their political persuasions and all stakeholders in Limerick and in Dáil Éireann.”
‘The same rights and opportunities as every other Irish citizen’
Based on his experience as a local representative, Cllr Daly says he sees the massive potential to in Limerick, and what can be achieved through collaboration.
“That’s what I see as the mayor’s main role, working with everyone, across the political spectrum, to deliver meaningful results for Limerick,” he says.
“We need to ensure that the city and county grow together, leaving no person behind. We need to address the capacity issues in University Hospital Limerick by delivering on the promises that were made and undoing the damage caused by the closures of Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s A&Es in 2009. Also, to meet the asks of the healthcare experts in Limerick, we need to deliver additional 200 acute and step-down beds to address current shortages.”
Cllr Daly explained that one thing he hears regularly on the doorsteps is that “people want to know that they will be afforded the same rights and opportunities as every other Irish citizen. If I can sum up in one line what kind of mayor I will be, it’s one that will listen attentively and work tirelessly to deliver for the people of Limerick”.
His message to the people of Limerick is he has listened to them and understands the issues that are impacting their daily lives.
“I know what needs to be done to resolve these issues and to build a fairer and better Limerick,” he said.
“From my work and experience as an Independent elected councillor, I have built the relationships across all key stakeholders that will assist me in this work. If the people of Limerick give me a mandate on the 7th of June to be their Independent directly-elected mayor, I will work tirelessly over the next five years for you, with Limerick council and government, to resolve the current issues, deliver funding, investment, new projects, and improved services to build a fairer and more inclusive Limerick and improve quality of life for all of Limerick people.”
