BREAKING: Result of vote by councillors on Mayor Moran's controversial Limerick housing development

MAYOR of Limerick John Moran has suffered a crushing defeat to his hopes of developing modular homes at a park on the city's southside.

It comes after councillors invoked emergency legislation to prevent his plans to build 400 to 500 temporary homes in the Boro Park at Janesboro proceeding.

The plans have proven controversial in the city, with many locals opposing the project, saying they do not want to see a loss of green space.

At a special council meeting this Monday afternoon, a resolution put together by City East councillors Sarah Kiely and priomh-chomhairleoir Catherine Slattery to in effect block the development using Local Government legislation was passed by 39 votes to zero.

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The resolution was made under section 139 of the Local Government Act 2001. Rarely-used, it's a tool which allows councillors to formally instruct the council executive and mayor and stop a specific project, in this case, modular homes in the Boro Park.

Mayor Moran did not vote in the roll-call at the end of the three-hour meeting - saying that he is legally precluded from doing so under the legislation - and there was one councillor absent.

Prior to the vote, he gave a 45-minute long presentation outlining why he felt councillors should vote against it and keep the idea of modular homes in Boro Park alive.

He pointed out it was councillors themselves in the development plan had zoned the park land as 'city centre' making it appropriate for housing.

"If we do not do this, we will have 400 homes to build somewhere else. What I think it's important for us to think about is whether it is right to use section 139 to essentially abort a regular planning process," he said.

He repeated an assertion made earlier this Monday, that he believes Limerick is facing a housing crisis, and the city in effect needs to build more homes to catch up.

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"We have a structural deficit of between 1,600 and 2,000 homes. We are looking at a decision as to whether we stop 400 or 500 homes being built on this land," he said, highlighting how he wants to "intervene in the market" in order to deliver units.

In effect, Mayor Moran added, Limerick needs to be delivering 14 estates the size of the old Gasworks site at O'Curry Street in the city centre to satisfy the housing demand.

He also pointed out that under his plans for Boro Park, green space would remain.

"If I were voting for this motion today, I would be voting against it. Not because I'm saying we have to build on the park, but we should let the analysis for the site run its course. I don't think we'll see another opportunity as good as this to finally get this kind of investment into areas starved of amenities of investment. I would urge colleagues not to shut the door on this conversation and this opportunity," he said.

Mayor Moran's appeal ultimately fell on deaf ears.

Following an adjournment to allow talks to take place on the presentation, all the councillors who spoke gave the plans a thumbs-down.

Cllr Kiely said: "People come from all over the area to use this park. People on their lunchbreak. Section 139 is a tool to enable councillors as a last resort. I am very cognisant there are some people in this chamber who are worried this will be used as a precedent. This is irrelevant. What has happened here is we have been backed into a corner. A community should not have to choose between a park and housing."

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Cllr Slattery, who formally seconded the motion, added: "Me and my Fianna Fail colleagues in this chamber are not against the construction of houses. This morning, in the metropolitan district, we approved plans for 100 homes. Janesboro people have not been listened to - they have been ignored. Mayor, you often refer to the resolve and the resilience of the Limerick people, describing the community as an unbeatable force, united in purpose. That is what the people of Janesboro and the surrounding areas are: an unbeatable force."

Independent councillor Frankie Daly said it is "quite saddenning" to get to a point where members are relying on emergency legislation.

"It's perplexing we have got to this point. I've not received one call in support of smarter homes. It's quite the opposite. I've lots of family in the area and it's overwhelming opposition," he said.

Social Democrats councillor Shane Hickey-O'Mara praised the Janesboro community, saying: "The testaments people have shared have been very moving. I was speaking to my nana last week. She grew up in Janesboro. It's a community with very deep roots. I have promised to support them in retaining their green space."

Cllr Elena Secas, Independent of City East referred to a recent public meeting in Our Lady Queen of Peace school: "When you have a hall full of people and many people outside the hall, I think there is a pretty strong message whether it is wrong or right. I'm pretty sure you can use another park."

Metropolitan district leader, Cllr Daniel Butler said the idea of putting modular homes in the Boro Park is "bananas", while his Fine Gael colleague, Cllr Peter Doyle compared it to erecting houses in the People's Park.

Cllr Stephen Keary, who chairs the local authority's housing committee described Mayor Moran's plans to develop homes on 11 sites across Limerick as the building of "11 ghettoes".

Alongside the 40 members of the council and the executive, there were around 30 people in the gallery at County Hall in Dooradoyle from the Janesboro community.

On top of this, around 100 people watched proceedings unfold online.

At the end of the meeting, council director general Dr Pat Daly confirmed in response to a query from Cllr Dan McSweeney that he and his staff would be bound by the vote.