DESPITE Mayor John Moran declaring a housing emergency yesterday morning (Monday), Limerick councillors unanimously voted against his plans to proceed with the development of 500 modular units at Janesboro’s Boro Park.
At a special meeting in County Hall on Monday, councillors, for the first time ever, voted to invoke a Section 139 of the Local Government Act, blocking the directly-elected Mayor’s proposal to convert Janesboro’s only green space for SMART housing.
The landmark move, proposed by Janesboro resident and Fine Gael councillor Sarah Kiely, saw councillors across the political divide unified in the Dooradoyle chamber for the first time this term since being elected in June 2024.
Ahead of yesterday’s meeting, the Mayor published a new blog setting out the full context behind proposals to develop housing and amenities in the Boro Fields area of Janesboro.
In the post, the Mayor emphasised that the lands in question were zoned for high-density housing by councillors under the current Development Plan, and form part of the wider Colbert Quarter masterplan developed through extensive consultation and expert input.
Mayor Moran’s blog highlights that while public concern is understandable, many residents have not yet been presented with the full details of what is proposed, including significant new investment in amenities such as a central park, sports facilities and improved connectivity.
“It is why it is wholly inappropriate for some councillors to try to force the project to be aborted before the full project has been explained and allowed to run through the planning process,” the Mayor said.
“This is not a new or sudden proposal. It is part of a long-standing plan, shaped by experts, consultation and decisions taken by councillors themselves. Residents deserve to see the full picture — what is proposed, what is not, and what the benefits could be for their community.”
The Mayor also underlined the scale of Limerick’s housing challenge, noting that the city must significantly increase housing delivery in the coming years to meet demand from a growing population and strong jobs base.
“We are currently building far too few homes each year. Without sites like Colbert Quarter, we simply cannot meet the needs of people who want to live and work in Limerick,” he said.
However, as Janesboro residents packed into the public gallery for yesterday’s special meeting, councillors called on Mayor Moran to now go look at other sites as they criticised him for considering taking a green space away from a local community. In a landmark move, councillors unanimously voted against the Mayor’s plans.
“Let Boro Park be Boro Park,” he was told.