INDEPENDENT councillor Ursula Gavan called for significantly increased investment in public amenities and community infrastructure across Annacotty and Castletroy.
Speaking to the Limerick Post, she warned that rapid population growth in the area is far outpacing that of essential services and facilities.
According to Cllr Gavan, Castletroy and Annacotty have experienced substantial residential expansion in recent years, with hundreds of new homes completed and many more under construction, but there has been only limited expansion of public space and key services.
“Annacotty and Castletroy are among the fastest growing communities not just in Limerick, but across the entire State. The population figures clearly show the scale of change we are dealing with, yet the infrastructure and amenities simply have not kept pace,” she commented.
Local representatives have constantly highlighted growing deficits in the area, including limited community facilities, pressure on schools and childcare, and insufficient provision of services such as libraries and youth centres.
“We have one park catering for 20,000 children and, whilst welcome, locals are calling for more pockets parks throughout the area to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding and increasingly diverse population.”
Cllr Gavan is now calling on Limerick Council and central government to adopt a more balanced approach to development — ensuring that housing delivery is matched by investment in infrastructure and community amenities.
“We cannot continue to approve large-scale housing while leaving communities without the supports they need. Growth must be planned properly — and that means delivering schools, transport, community spaces, and services alongside housing,” she said.
“Castletroy needs a community and youth centre, a local library, as well as the long promised Garda station. We also need development of public recreational and sporting facilities, and further investment in public transport and active travel to tackle the gaps in services and ease traffic congestion. There’s also an urgent need for additional early years childcare for many of the new families now resident in the area.
“People are proud to call Annacotty and Castletroy home. They deserve communities that are properly supported, properly planned, and fit for the future. The time to act is now.”