Mayor of Limerick John Moran has requested an urgent rescheduling of a meeting with the Government to discuss key infrastructure plans for Limerick.
Amidst ongoing Government unrest, the Limerick Mayoral and Government Consultative Forum has been postponed indefinitely, delaying talks on several “key” regional projects.
These meetings serve as Mayor Moran’s primary channel for lobbying the government regarding Limerick’s infrastructure.
“While I understand the pressures at national level, detailed submissions, as agreed, have been made in good faith, with a clear expectation that this forum would help progress key issues for Limerick, including important priorities like housing,” he stated this Tuesday, April 14.
As per legislation Mayor John Moran is entitled to meetings with national ministers. The Government Consultative Forum provides Ireland’s first directly-elected mayor with a direct communications line with the government.
“People across our country are under real pressure at present. It is encouraging to see solutions being implemented for them, but what is now required for Limerick is timely delivery on our priorities too,” the mayor said in his statement.
John Boix, Treasurer of the UL Politics Society, believes that “the Mayor of Limerick should have more power, and the local authorities should have more power”.
He feels that these meetings prevent Limerick City and County Council from enacting timely changes.
Mayor Moran stated: “All of us in Limerick stand ready to reconvene for the Forum hopefully before the end of April”.
His office is expected to contact the Minister for Housing, Local Government, and Heritage, the chair of the forum, to select a new date later today.
However the meeting is expected to be delayed following ongoing unrest at Government level following the resignation of Michael Healy Rae as junior minister on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr. Healy Rae stated that he believes “this government have let the people of Ireland down” and he supported the No Confidence vote. His brother and fellow Independent TD Danny Healy Rae also supported the motion, which the government survived by 98 votes to 78.