Limerick council to spend over €140,000 on Christmas

LIMERICK City and County Council (LCCC) is to spend over €140,000 on events for Christmas in Limerick this year.

A detailed breakdown of the expenditure for Christmas in Limerick was revealed at a meeting of the local authority during which questions were raised over the decision not to have a ceremony to turn on the Christmas lights in the city due to budget constraints.

Social Democrats councillor for Limerick City West, Elisa O’Donovan believes there was enough money in the €141,000 budget for a light-up ceremony

She claims the most telling thing from the expenditure breakdown is the more than €7,000 being paid to Maramba, a road services company for works around Arthur’s Quay.

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“I think it says a lot about the culture of our city when more funding for our Christmas in Limerick events is given to a road repair service than Christmas in the Milk Market,” Ms O’Donovan said.

The Arthur’s Quay works by Maramba cost a total of €7,829 whereas Christmas at the Milk Market has cost €5,000.

“Why is there over €7,000 being given to a road repair company for Christmas in Limerick, it makes absolutely no sense to me, it’s got absolutely nothing to do with Christmas in Limerick,” Ms O’Donovan said.

“So I do think that saying that we don’t have enough money for a light-up ceremony is [wrong] and I’ve said this before, there is,” she added.

Some of the other more notable spending items includes the spending of over €10,000 on Christmas trees at O’Connell Street, William Street and Colbert Station; almost €35,000 for the Christmas in Limerick aerial extravaganza at King John’s Castle, and €45,000 for the city centre seasonal street shows, animation and festival village.