Calls for new forum to aid Limerick city’s ‘crown jewel’
A NEW City Centre Forum should be established to help enhance the “crown jewel” of Limerick, according to Cllr Saša Novak Uí Chonchúir.
At the October meeting of the Economic Development, Enterprise and Planning Strategic Policy Committee, Cllr Novak Uí Chonchúir stressed the need for the new group, comprising of councillors from all three metropolitan wards, to ensure “balanced and sustainable economic and physical development of the city centre”.
The meeting heard that the city centre focused forum could help fix various problems and help improve the roads, parks, and public places.
It is hoped that the forum could also make the city centre safer and easier to use with one example, discussing the addition of more public toilets that are free to use, in the hopes to encourage more people to visit.
The forum would also work on safety with Cllr Novak Uí Chonchúir explaining her desire to make the city centre a place where people feel safe at all times.
In efforts to achieve this, the forum would discuss increasing garda presence in order to prevent problems, and not just react to them.
Cllr Novak Uí Chonchúir also added that local governments like Limerick City and County Council can’t do much because of rules set out by higher-ups.
“I fear that this local authority, like others around the country, have become or are becoming a bit lethargic and mostly through no fault of their own,” she said.
“Looking at the bill for directly elected mayor in the Oireachtas, she stated: “Our hands are tied.”
In response to the proposal, Vincent Murray, Director of Economic Development, suggested that a separate meeting with metro councillors would be a good way to understand the form the forum should take and its terms of reference.
Cllr Novak Uí Chonchúir welcomed this idea, expressing enthusiasm for further engagement.