Ken Foxe
The new directly elected mayor of Limerick asked Taoiseach Simon Harris that €2 billion of the Apple tax fund be given directly to the city and county.
In a personal plea to Mr Harris, Mayor John Moran said that because the €14 billion windfall had come from industrial operations in Munster, over half the money should go to the region.
He suggested that the money should be split with €3.5 billion going to Cork, €2 billion to Waterford, €1 billion to Galway, and €2 billion to Limerick.
In a lengthy letter and submission to the Taoiseach in September, Mr Moran said this would help rebalance the country’s economy which was “dangerously concentrated in the east.”
Limerick’s Lord Mayor also wrote to thank Mr Harris for his strong support in local government reform and for direct elections.
Mr Moran said: “You suggested, somewhat gently, that reform was never easy – and after just ninety days in the job I admit you were correct."
He said the challenges facing Limerick were significant but “not insurmountable” and asked for the support of the government in three areas.
The Lord Mayor said this included signalling investment in the county’s underused rail system, a comprehensive suburban transport plan, and investigation of providing a new hospital on a new site.
He added that Limerick – and other regional cities – were supposed to be growing at double the rate of Dublin yet there was “a huge disparity” in investment.
Mr Moran wrote: “I am therefore asking for a commitment to additional funding for each of the regional cities and happy to suggest the type of critical projects which could then be prioritised by you for Limerick in this context.
“The amount for Limerick’s catch-up allocation would be some €2 billion.”
Mr Moran – who previously worked in the Department of Finance – said he was “revisiting [his] Budget writing skills” to offer some suggestions on what could be included in the speeches of Ministers Jack Chambers and Paschal Donohoe last October.
He then explained how the €2 billion fund could be used including €200 million for a development project at Colbert Railway Station along with €50 million for a central library.
A further €140 million commitment was sought for the construction of a new building for the OPW and Revenue Commissioners at the city’s Opera Centre.
Other asks included €250 million for rail projects, €30 million for a Museum of Gaming and other tourist draws, and €25 million to “re-imagine Rathkeale – one of our most disadvantaged towns.”
A further suggested text for inclusion in the budget speech said: “Money alone will not deliver projects. So, I am also announcing a supplementary allocation of €20 million of operating expenditure to the Mayor of Limerick funding to cover salaries, set up costs and otherwise fund for 2025 an infrastructure and mayoral programme delivery support team in Limerick.”
Asked about the records, a spokesman for Mr Moran said the Lord Mayor had welcomed the significant allocation made for the Limerick community in Budget 2025.
He said: “The decisions of the government now provide the funding for concrete steps to be taken to equalise the level of capital investments on both sides of the country.
“Limerick is open for business and working hard to progress projects so that can be achieved.”
