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‘Fight for us in the communities': Views on ‘rocky' first year of Limerick mayor
St Munchin's Community Centre is buzzing with activity as chief executive Linda Ledger greets locals while leading The Irish Times on a tour last week.
Services on offer to deprived communities on Limerick's northside at the centre include social enterprises such as a hairdressers and florist; maternity clinics; training courses; a community cafe; and a Meals-on-Wheels service.
'Everybody and their mother comes through the doors. We're filling all the cracks left by the State,' Ledger says.
However, Government funding administered by Limerick City and County Council as part of the city's regeneration programme – which has helped keep the lights on at the centre – has declined in recent times.
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There is concern that there appears to be no tangible stream of funding to replace it, and Ledger wants to know what Limerick's mayor, John Moran, will do about it.
A 2019 plebiscite saw Limerick vote to have a directly elected mayor. Moran – a former Department of Finance secretary general turned independent politician – is the first holder of the office having been elected last June. He has launched an ambitious mayoral programme but his first 12 months has also often seen him at loggerheads with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil councillors.
Ledger refers to these tensions, saying she has 'huge concern' that the mayor and the councillors are 'taking the eye off the ball' as a result.
She says her centre currently gets €70,000 from the diminishing regeneration fund. She is not against doing more fundraising herself but also says she feels Moran should 'fight for us in the communities'.
Linda Ledger, chief executive of St Munchins Community Centre in Moyross and local residen Kieran Ring. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
'We are fighting for that,' the mayor insists in response.
Moran says this can be seen in his lobbying of Government Ministers for almost €5 billion in funding for Limerick as part of the review of the National Development Plan (NDP) but also as he looks for funding for the local authority from the national budget each year.
Ledger has been 'doing some great work through the previous regeneration funding'.
'The Government is phasing that out as we understand it. Do we want it to be back in exactly the same format? Or do we want actually a more holistic envelope of money given to Limerick, which the mayor and the council can actually distribute where they believe it should be spent?
'That's what I've been arguing for.'
He says St Munchin's needs support for its 'very desirable programmes' and indicates this could come through the annual budgetary process.
Moran is positive about his first year in office, saying the highlight is that 'the stuff that we've been waiting for years to happen in Limerick is now kick-started'.
He cites progress on proposals for housing development in the city, Government approval for the Opera Square office development, and the expectation that the Adare bypass road will be ready in time for the hosting of the 2027 Ryder Cup golf tournament.
Last month Moran revealed his almost €5 billion in NDP asks, saying they are 'not wish lists' but 'catalysts for growth' in Limerick, the Midwest and nationally.
Included in over €2 billion sought for housing is €600 million for his centrepiece 'Smart Homes' initiative aimed at delivering 1,000 modular units. These would provide homes as permanent housing solutions, such as the Land Development Agency's (LDA) long-planned Colbert Quarter development, which is under construction.
There is another €2 billion sought for transport projects across the city and county including roads and a rail link to Shannon Airport.
Aside from the big funding requests, Moran has a mayoral fund of around €40 million to be allocated over his five-year term. He suggests that if a 'proper mayoral fund' of perhaps 'a couple of hundred million' was available to him, 'I don't think we would have had any bickering [with councillors], because we'd have had a bit more money to be able to drive more projects.'
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So how do others view how the mayor's first year has gone?
Labour Party TD Conor Sheehan – who also contested the mayoral election – says: 'Obviously some people love change and others don't. From my point of view what has been useful is that the mayor has brought political focus to areas where Limerick is lacking investment – particularly housing.'
He also says 'we're the only city in Ireland who has this [directly elected mayor]' and 'we need to prove that this can work'.
Michelle Gallagher, chief executive of Limerick Chamber of Commerce. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Michelle Gallagher, the chief executive of Limerick Chamber of Commerce, says the first year has been 'rocky' but adds: 'We're seeing wins that are coming through.'
The chamber wants to see 'more prosperity', 'more housing' and a 'revitalisation' of Limerick city centre from the remaining four years of Moran's term.
Independent councillor Maria Donoghue says she agrees with a lot of the strategic proposals in Moran's mayoral programme. She is of the view that 'a lot of energy has gone into defending his position [from critics of the main parties] which is a waste really of the first year', while saying he has 'got certain things over the line'.
Proposing Limerick Council's budget each November is a key power of the mayor but the backing of councillors is still needed. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil resistance saw the failure of proposals – supported by Moran – to raise commercial rates by 4 per cent. Even before this, there was a delay in getting his draft mayoral programme approved as councillors sought more time to allow for more workshops on the plans. Fine Gael councillor Stephen Keary claimed at the time that Moran's draft programme was like 'a wish list for Christmas from Santy'.
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Keary stands by his 'Santy' comments, saying he viewed the document as 'aspirational' and there was a need for projects that were 'shovel ready'.
'He [Moran] thinks up all these ideas but he doesn't discuss them with the body of the council. He's a very smart, intelligent man by all means – don't get me wrong – but he's not working with the parties,' says Keary, adding that it was 'disappointing'.
Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Collins expresses a hope for improved relations, saying: 'We all need to start working together for the betterment of Limerick.'
He adds: 'The mayor will have to realise that the two main parties in Limerick are the majority in the council.'
Keary, meanwhile, who represents the rural Adare-Rathkeale district, contends that the mayor 'needs to show more interest in the county [outside the city]'.
Moran responds to this by saying: 'If he thinks that he should just look at the NDP asks, and he'll realise that they're not all in the city centre.' He lists several plans for rural parts of Limerick including places such as Kilmallock, Newcastle West and Adare.
'It would have been absolutely amazing to have rocked up to this office and had everything shovel ready ... but that's not what I inherited from the previous council.'
Moran says Keary is a political opponent who 'probably wants his team to win the mayoral role in five years' time'.
In terms of working with the main parties, Moran sets out a preference for engagement through the councillor holding the Príomh Chomhairleoir office. Issues that arise could be debated in the council's policy committees. He concedes this 'does not seem to be the choice of the council'.
Adrian Power, chair of Moyross Partners Group and family support co-ordinator of Corpus Christi Child and Family Centre. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Adrian Power is the chairman of Moyross Partners and he works as a family support co-ordinator in the heart of the disadvantaged community.
He says he has some sympathy for Moran amid tensions in the council but 'what we can see from the outside looking in' is 'just complete division'.
He says while this is happening communities such as Moyross are 'in real danger of going backwards'.
There was dismay when a planned development of 78 homes at Pineview Gardens that had community support – and seemed on the verge of happening – was delayed by a design review Moran had promised of wider plans for Moyross. It is among a series of such reviews by firms of architects Moran hopes will help set parameters for private and public housing on development sites in Limerick.
Power says there are now proposals for an additional 40 homes at Pineview Gardens, and another 110 nearby, and while 'we're not necessarily against it' there are concerns of pressure on school and creche places.
Moran says every new mayor or minister looks at plans 'to see if it still makes sense'.
He says he met the community and their concern was a 'desperate need of housing'. He argues the 'scheme they were looking at wasn't going to deliver'.
He says there are now plans for new roads, a train station and other infrastructure in Moyross.
While the area 'is potentially going to get hundreds of homes', Moran says he will 'absolutely' be pushing for delivery of facilities such as schools alongside.
Under Government plans Limerick City is to grow by 50,000 people from the current 100,000. 'You cannot do that iteratively and by chance,' says Moran. 'You have to develop a large and thoughtful master plan.'
Uniquely in Ireland, the people of Limerick will have a chance to decide on his success or otherwise of his plan in the next mayoral election due in 2029.
Moran will 'of course' seek a second term.
