HOW many times are the same potholes in a given area of the city patched before permanent repair is carried out?
And particularly the recurring potholes on the Abbey Bridge, Aontú councillor Sarah Beasley wanted to know at the March monthly Metropolitan District meeting.
In response to the City North representative, Limerick Council explained that the recurring nature of a defect on the Abbey Bridge was due to it being on a bridge expansion joint and thereby vulnerable to repeat defects due to joint movement.
“During the winter period, the road maintenance crews are carrying out pothole repairs full-time using delay set macadam, which is a cold applied temporary patch repair. This method is used primarily during the winter period for emergency repairs,” assistant director of the Council’s Transportation Directorate, Hugh McGrath, explained.
- External Walls: Up to €8,000 Grant
- Attic: Up to €1,500 Grant
- Cavity Walls: Up to €1,700 Grant
- Internal Dry Lining: Up to €4,500 Grant
Councillors were also informed that where repeated emergency repairs are required, “it is prudent to plan a permanent repair subject to funding being in place”.
Since January 2026, the Council road maintenance crews have trialled using a ‘hot box’ pothole repair in which a heated container is used to transport, store, and maintain hot-mix asphalt at the correct working temperatures for longer periods. According to Mr McGrath, this allows the crews to perform a more durable pothole repair.
“Furthermore, the Council employ contractors to carry out hot asphalt repairs on heavily trafficked routes within the Metropolitan District subject to the availability of funding. These permanent patch repairs are very expensive to resource,” he concluded.