Directly elected mayor candidate says 'this is an election that matters'

LAST Thursday, on a dark and wet night, a small and mixed group of people joined me at the Thomas Fitzgerald Centre in Bruff for a discussion about Limerick and its future.

Everybody who came stayed to the end, some had questions, and any question asked was a good one. Why can’t Kilmallock train station be reopened?

Why don’t tourists in the city pay a bed-night tax so that retailers in the county don’t have to pay such high rates?

How can we make it easier for people to restore heritage buildings in our towns and villages? I did my best to answer. After the talk there was tea over which we talked some more. All in all, it was a pleasant and interesting evening. It was a historic one too.

This public meeting was the first salvo in the first campaign for the first “directly elected mayor” in Ireland’s history.
Sunday brought me to Kilfinane.

In Kilfinane, as in Bruff, I listened to communities speak about their vision, one which is underpinned by a fierce pride - in their people, their heritage and their enterprise.

They have identified what is needed for our towns to thrive - good quality housing for people at all stages of their lives, people back living over the shop, playgrounds and sports grounds, places where people can enjoy music and drama, venues that community groups can use for meetings and classes.

They recognise that restoring our heritage buildings and shop fronts and improving our public realm will return that investment in spades, making our market towns attractive places to live and work and visit.

They know that people will want to come and visit our beautiful natural surrounds, and the value of quality and frequent bus and rail services and a network of greenways to get them there. They understand what is needed to keep the heart of communities alive.

They consistently acknowledge the tremendous work by councillors and council staff to help them. Everyone wants to see progress, but progress can often be difficult.

They ask if a directly elected mayor of Limerick can help us achieve quicker and more efficient progress. The answer, in my firm view is, yes, it can. This is an election that matters.

As a TD for Limerick City, I have always taken a broader view of my role. What is good for the Mid-West region is good for us in Limerick. It is as clear to me as it ever was that our part of Ireland can in time become an economic counter-weight to the capital.

It is why I have argued vociferously for Shannon Airport. It can and should be connected to the national rail network.

It is why I have advocated for rural bus services for County Limerick and County Clare, and many of these have already been delivered, including in Kilfinane which now has eight daily bus services from Monday to Saturday and for the first time ever services on a Sunday (five of them).

It is why I have pushed for - and succeeded - in getting the Limerick to Foynes railway line reopened. That project is already at construction phase and will open in 2026. New train stations in Moyross and Ballysimon are progressing along a similar timeline.

My background as an engineer makes me an unusual politician, but it has been useful. For this reason, in 2020, I was asked to negotiate, on behalf of my party, the energy elements of the Programme for Government with Richard Bruton of Fine Gael and Jack Chambers of Fianna Fáil.

READ MORE: PICTURES: Limerick companies collaborate for special business event

Together we set an ambition for Ireland to become energy independent in the years ahead and this ambition will be realised.

We will, I am sure, become an exporter of energy, with the creation of thousands of jobs and investment opportunities. The good news for Limerick and the Mid -West is that our region is set to be at the centre of this revolution. We will become a global clean energy hub.

The new Mayoral role offers further opportunity to deliver for Limerick and the Mid-West. It is a step towards having a single, and strong voice for this part of Ireland. As Mayor of Limerick I believe I can achieve even more.

The vision that communities all over Limerick share - in county towns and city centre - is that we should have attractive places to live and work and visit, with the amenities and services that ensure people have a good quality of life.

Realising the potential of local communities at grassroots level is to realise an overarching vision and potential of the region at a national strategic level.

In order for the Mid-West region to thrive, the amenities and services need to be put in place, inducing good development, drawing employers and workforces alike, instilling a sense of belonging and pride of place so that Limerick is where people want to and can live a full life.

The upcoming election for Mayor of Limerick is an important one. I hope that people will engage and debate on what direction Limerick will follow in the decades ahead.

It should be a source of pride that we have grasped this opportunity for every community in Limerick. We should be all in.