HARD questions were put to Limerick Mayor John Moran when he met this week with the 40 elected councillors to once again discuss his mayoral masterplan after weeks of workshops, writes Alan Jacques.
Mayor Moran has to date been met by hurdles at every step in attempting to get his ambitious 105-page document over the line.
The former LDA boss aims to see a total of 50,000 new residents accommodated in Limerick by 2040, more amenities and improved public transport for county towns and villages, better road safety, increased Garda resources, investment in neglected buildings, and making areas in South East Limerick – such as Lough Gur, Kilmallock, and Ballyhoura – a tourist destination par excellence.
The Mayor has often reminded Council members that the people of Limerick rejected their cautious approach in the historic June election, voting instead for “More for Limerick”.
And just as he was met with criticism at the deferred August meeting, Limerick’s first citizen was again greeted with dissent and stumbling blocks last Friday.
From the outset, councillors were reminded by the executive that the Council’s Code of Conduct applies, which dictates that members must show respect and courtesy during the meeting.
Fine Gael councillor Sarah Kiely from the off raised concerns over the meeting being recorded, with her party calling for a suspension on recording until an agreement could be reached.
As the Mayor began his presentation, Cllr Liam Galvin, also of Fine Gael, brought up concerns over one of the graphs being presented.
“This is the first time that I have seen those graphs and triangles and circles. Is this all new to us again today?” he interjected.
As Cllr Galvin was told to save the questions until after the presentation, the gallery erupted with cross-party disputes.
Mayor Moran spoke passionately about finding ways to revitalise the city, the opportunities that offshore wind energy can bring to the Mid West, and the importance of improving Limerick’s tourism offering.
His big ask of councillors was to “continue to pound the government” to get the Designated Maritime Area Plan opened for Shannon Estuary offshore wind, which he deems a “key part” of Limerick’s future.
‘The footsteps of our work’
Cllr Liam Galvin once again took issue, telling the Mayor that “you might think because you came on board this year that meeting with deputies and ministers is a new thing. It’s not.”
“I am meeting with ministers of all ages for 20 years regarding what’s going on in the local authority, in particular with the area that I represent.”
Cllr Adam Teskey, also of Fine Gael, told Mayor Moran he deemed his plan to be “far and above reaching to the ordinary person in County Limerick”, explaining that his own agenda is on serving the local needs of local people in a local way.
“An awful lot of what’s in this is what’s already been worked upon,” he added. “I have to give great credit to Dr Pat Daly and his team that worked with us since 2016.”
“Unfortunately, this is nothing new for us,” Cllr Teskey said of Moran’s masterplan.
“We’ve been working away tirelessly for our electorate for many years to bring what is about to come to fruition, to make it a tangible, foreseeable thing for the public we represent. Yes, change is good. Change is needed. But we have done an awful lot of work and the footsteps of our work is presented in the mayoral plan.”
‘You can’t blame us anymore’
Cllr Kiely told Mayor Moran that his plan lacked affordable homes, something she said would help families in the €70-90,000 bracket who “work for everything and don’t receive anything in return”.
Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Collins reminded the Mayor that, at the outset of his mayoralty, he said the document was his mayoral program and was going to be done his way, claiming that he sought councillors’ input “eventually”.
“This is your program. I wish you the very best with it. It is down to central funding and I note that today where you went on Live 95 having a cut at our TDs, so look, that takes the heat off the councillors – at least you can’t blame us anymore.”
Mayor Moran said he has tried to enlist all councillors in his plans, as “everybody needs to be singing the same song that Limerick isn’t getting its fair share from national government”.
“Our TDs today were suggesting that, in some ways, it is already getting it. That was the point I was trying to make.
“I don’t see that on the evidence, and it might be what they would like to say two or three days after a budget. It’s the freedom I have as a Mayor of Limerick. I can actually say that because I’m not conditioned by any political party.”
‘Your own solo run’
Cllr Collins said that he was “flabbergasted” by the Mayor’s comments and read aloud to him and the chamber “your statement here the other day where you welcomed the budget. How hypocritical is that?”
Cllr Collins accused Mayor Moran of making the office of the mayor “political”, telling him that “I think you’re in the wrong office. I think you should run in the next general election and work your way up and try and make the changes there.”
He told the Mayor that “we have arguments in here, but we work for Limerick. But you made it completely political. You have your budget now. You have a mayoral program. You can go and deal with that. I’m more interested in working with the Directors General within our budget and getting our work done. That’s what I’m interested in. Thank you very much, I’m leaving the chamber,” the Fianna Fáil man said as he exited the meeting.
Fine Gael councillor Stephen Keary then told Mayor Moran that he had lost all interest in his mayoral program.
“I do believe this is your own solo run, Mayor, that you prepared this document yourself without any input from the directors,” he claimed.
Rows in the Council chamber errputed previously when Mayor Moran last brought his draft mayoral programme before councillors in August – with Cllr Keary referring to it at the time as “too aspirational”. A vote was passed to defer the discussions so councillors could have more time to provide feedback on the plan.
The Mayor was also told his expectations were “impractical” when calling on councillors in July to provide early ‘wishlist’ items for the mayoral programme.