MAYOR Kevin Kiely’s Christmas gesture of providing 300 turkeys and hams to families in need has aroused the curiosity of Cllr Kieran O’Hanlon.
O’Hanlon claims he was approached by some of his constituents, none of whom, he says, received the Christmas fare. However, Mayor Kiely said he was making no apologies for his use of the fund.
Referring to the traditional use of the mayoral Coal Scheme, under which people can apply for bags of coal, Cllr O’Hanlon said that his former FF council colleague, Cllr Dick Sadlier, during his mayoralty, handed over the administration of the Coal Fund to St Vincent de Paul in Limerick.
“Mayor Kiely says that 700 people applied for and were given the coal and he paid tribute to the businessman, Pat O’Sullivan of Galtee Fuels, for his generous contributions but I’d like to know did 700 letters of request actually come in from people looking for the coal”.
But the mayor responded that the fund was over subscribed thanks to his fund raising efforts. “People did apply, mainly through charitable organisations and through families. It is policy that it is used at each mayor’s discretion. Charity begins at home. I made a contribution of €2,000 to St Munchin’s Community Centre and to other organisations”.
Councillor O’Hanlon is also curious to know how much money is in the coal fund.
“Are the turkeys and hams given out – mainly I believe to people in the mayor’s side of town – the northside, included in the Coal Fund, as well as the €1,000 donation given by the mayor to the Thomond Rugby Club?”
Cllr O’Hanlon said he has been approached by some of his own constituents, none of whom knew anything about being able to apply for turkeys and hams.
Mayor Kiely concluded that people living in Cllr O’Hanlon’s ward did benefit from the fund.
