PROPOSED MERGER WILL WEAKEN REGION
Issued : Tuesday 20 July, 2010
Limerick City Labour T.D. Jan O’Sullivan has expressed grave concern regarding media reports that the boundary commission has recommended a merger of Limerick City and Limerick County Councils.
As a public representative for Limerick I am extremely worried that a joint authority as proposed will weaken Limerick in comparison to other Cities. If the media reports as published are correct I will be urging a rethink of this recommendation and I will be making representations to Minister Gormley.
The Mid West Region needs a strong City at its core focused on driving and developing the City and the proposed expansion of the City to include the suburbs and environs would enable the City Council to concentrate on urban issues.
We have to compete not just internationally as a region but also against other Cities around the Country such as Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Waterford. It will be extremely difficult for an enlarged authority comprising of urban and rural Councillors competing against each other on local issues to unite and agree policies that will be of benefit to Limerick and the greater Limerick area.
Strong Cities drive strong regions and the status of the City as the catalyst for growth and development will be hugely diluted in an enlarged authority encompassing a wide geographical rural county and a condensed urban area.
This proposed merger would require significant legislative change and working through the logistics of merging the two councils will take a considerable period of time, resources and energy.
Losing the status of Limerick City and a City Council who have served the needs of Limerick people for many years will be a retrograde step and I hope Minister Gormley a Limerick man will not accept this proposal.
