Council hopes to see up to €15,000 earmarked annually for clean-up of 'biodiversity gem' in Limerick
A SENIOR council official hopes up to €15,000 per year will be provided in the budget to allow for annual maintenance of Westfields Wetlands.
Carmel Lynch, who works in the local authority's recreation department made the comments at this month's metropolitan meeting after Sinn Fein councillor Sharon Benson saw a motion passed calling for improvements to the attraction.
Councillor Benson said every year, money should be placed in the local authority estimates to allow for the annual maintenance and monitoring of the site which lies just off Condell Road on Limerick's northside.
She said: "Westfields is a biodiversity gem on the northside. Having visited recently, I was very disappointed to see how overgrown it has become, particularly because a report was done previously, but no work has started on the removal of the weeds."
"There's a big job which needs to be done, and I'm asking it be progressed as a matter of urgency. It needs to have a specific budget code, so Westfields is given the attention it deserves, so we never see it in this condition again," the councillor added.
Her call was seconded by metropolitan district leader, Cllr Olivia O'Sullivan and supported by Cllrs Conor Sheehan and Sasa Novak.
"It should be a source of deep shame we are here talking about this," said Cllr Sheehan.
In a written response, planning director Nuala Gallagher said a multi-year reed removal plan is being put in place, and the executive will seek adequate provision in the budget for this.
Ms Lynch went further, and acknowledged the optimal time to work at the attraction is during September - with work taking place there in the coming days - due to the rise in water level during winter.
"We are looking at an annual budget to do this every September, and we will have to look at some regrowth as well to see how it is performing," she said, "I will be putting it forward that we will need €10,000 to 415,000 on an annual basis to manage this."
With Finance Minister Pascal Donohoe announcing the national budget on Tuesday, it's anticipated that the local authority estimates will follow approximately six weeks later.