Limerick Could loose its City Status

billy the squid

I figured it was close to happening but not this close

from http://www.limerickpost.ie

Limerick could lose city status

by Marie Hobbins

LIMERICK city’s population is haemorrhaging at such a rate that it is in danger of losing its status as a city.

Compared to the country’s other main cities, Dublin, Cork, Galway and Waterford, Limerick has recorded the highest population decline from 1981 to 2002. Galway has increased its population by 52 per cent and Waterford records a 16 per cent increase. There is also a critical fall in the population of under 25s in Limerick according to the report which was handed to Limerick City Council this week.

But what is causing the most alarm in City Hall, is that under EU directives, if Limerick’s present population of 52,000 falls below 50,000 it can no longer claim city status.

Increasing pressure for a boundary extension is being put on the Council by the city’s business sector who warn that the city is losing out because suburban shopping centres outside the boundary pay their rates to the County Council.

In the face of vigorous opposition from Limerick and Clare County Councils to the extension of the city’s boundary into such suburbs of Limerick as Raheen, Castletroy, Monaleen, Caherdavin, Corbally, Parteen, Gillogue, Knockalisheen and Coonagh, Limerick City Council points out that a boundary extension would only result in a net loss of 535,220 euro in income to Limerick County Council for which they would receive compensation from Limerick City Council.

On Tuesday, at the launch of this report which sets out a compelling case for an extension of the present restrictive boundary, Mayor Michael Hourigan, whose firm stand on the boundary issue has resulted in "some very negative response of a threatening nature from the Clare area”, said that per capita, Limerick is the poorest city in Ireland. He said that while there is a growing population of over 65s within the city area, the county has an ongoing increase in the under 25 age group. Cllr Kathleen Leddin pointed out that the city’s leading schools and colleges are attended by young people from the county, "which contributes hugely to our city roads being gridlocked”.

Mayor Hourigan was critical of both Limerick and Clare County Councils granting planning permission for housing estates - 1,000 houses in Westbury for example yet making no provision for open spaces or parks.

"These and sports facilities are provided by the City Council - in fact it’s been recorded that 75 per cent of children using the playground in the People’s Park are from the county, which has not built one playground. Both councils also give planning permission for huge shopping centres from which they derive very substantial rates. These councils don’t take into account the effect their decisions have on the city but I hope they will carefully consider our report and sit down and talk with us. I am also calling on our Oireachtas members to come off the fence regarding the extension so that the city can grow. We, as a council should be the pressure group on this,” he said.

The Council’s new proposal for an extension, which will be submitted shortly to the Minister for the Environment was unanimously welcomed as a positive step by the Council members.

"If we fail in securing an extension it will be a frightening prospect as we are falling further behind - within the last five years we’ve dropped from the third city in the country to the fourth, below Galway and face even worse - if we fall below a population of 50,000 we would lose our city status altogether,” said Cllr John Gilligan.

"Those against us on this are trying to turn back time. The city either grows or dies,” he warned.

Cllr Ger Fahy reminded the Council that Waterford city, which is half the size of Limerick, secured a boundary extension in 1979 and that Galway, which was granted an extension in 1985 is now the fastest growing city in the country.

Limerick was last granted an extension in 1954.

klong

if waterford is half the size of limerick, then how does it claim city status?
the way drogheda is expanding- and if whats being said is true- limericks' city title could go up to the north east.

sioda

I think the city has to be given the expansion as most of the suburbs of the city are sprawling in to the county. Sure aren't ballycummin and father russell road all in the county along with a good bit of caherdavin

klong

it would make sense alright, im out in castletroy and even in the space of a year the place has really grown- UL is spreading out into co. clare!

would it be fair to say that castletroy and raheen are the fastest-growing suburbs here?

theres often talk in the drogheda indo (local paper at home) about a boundary extension for drogheda into meath. last got one in the late 80s when a fair-sized chunk of meath was taken councillors obviously havent realised that theres south co. louth to paly with as well

sioda

I can understand county clare being a little upset at having to give up land but when its the same county and city councils it just screams bickering at me. Limk city council have even offered to compensate the county council for losses. Politicians and Bureaucrats will be the undoing of us all :rolleyes:

billy the squid

I am of the opinion that Limerick City Council has only themselves to blame.

They have made Limerick City one of the most expensive places in the country to do business with their extremely high Council rates, which is forcing businesses to move out to the county. I am thinking here of the likes of Keily electrical which was on O'Connell Street and recently moved out to the suburbs.

William Street has been let go to the dogs. Every second shop on william Street seems to be a charity, second hand, or pound shop. The buildings look old and worn and are not very attractive.

They have also built massive housing estates like O'Malley Park and Ballinanty without providing open spaces and the like. At least something is being done about O'Malley park where it is being de-populated. Well actually what the Council are doing is just not repairing and then demolishing houses that are being burned out.

Refuse charges are one of the highest in the country. This is because Limerick Corporation is ripping off the Refuse Companies and they are in turn ripping off the consumer. Mr. Binman is the most expensive company in Limerick but they seem to have a monopoly. and if you do their pay-and-way system you might get lucky and save yourself a fiver every year on your refuse collection.

And to top it all off Limerick City Council have managed to build up an 18 million euro debt. So you can expect water charges in the near future.

If the City council want to see real urban renewal in action they should take a look at the work being done in Coventry in the UK

The expansion is needed though, there are 12,000 people on the housing list in limerick and we have no where to build the houses.

Limerick County Council won't be able to afford their trips to china if they loose whatever revenue they are getting from the likes of Raheen.

puntosporting

billy the squid wrote:

I am of the opinion that Limerick City Council has only themselves to blame.

They have made Limerick City one of the most expensive places in the country to do business with their extremely high Council rates, which is forcing businesses to move out to the county. I am thinking here of the likes of Keily electrical which was on O'Connell Street and recently moved out to the suburbs.

Spot on there i reckon!