Elected without contest
JUST hours after he was elected, Mayor, Jim Long, was ready to head into City Hall to get down to the business of tackling the city’s problems.
He was deemed elected on Monday evening without a contest, to become the 815th mayor of Limerick.
Unlike previous years, there was no last minute dramatic moves in the chamber.
Speaking to the Limerick Post on Tuesday, the tired but jubilant new Fine Gael mayor, said:
“I don’t intend taking a honeymoon – I can tell you that despite great celebrations last night with my family, friends, neighbours, fellow councillors, constituents and supporters, I am fully aware of the many tasks that need to be done, especially in relation to the city centre, which will be a chief concern for me during my mayoralty.
“I will be taking the city of Bilboa in the Basque region of Spain as a model – some years ago, it had roughly the same population as Limerick, a derelict port and city centre as well as very high unemployment.
“They completely turned the city into a commercial success and now have full employment. I’m also going to invite Cllr Doreen Huggart from Newcastle-on-Tyne, to Limerick to give a presentation to our Future Planning Strategic Policy Committee, on how they successfully revamped their city”.
In his first address after being elected, he paid tribute to his mother, Sarah, wife, Mary, three daughters, two sons and four grandchildren, all of whom were present in City Hall.
He told the packed Council Chamber that he was born in St Mary’s Park, raised in Ballinacurra Weston, lived in Keyes Park, and now lives in Ballinacurra Gardens.
Revealing that he was just a young schoolboy when he first voiced his dream to be Mayor of Limerick, to his schoolteacher, he said:
“I was jeered at by my classmates but I told them, “this is my dream”.
Referring to the recent high level of speculation surrounding the choice of mayor, he said:
“The ‘favourite” changed a few times and friendships were called into play, but I remained confident as you do not get two closer friends, politically or otherwise, than Cllr Kevin Kiely and I – this bond was never going to be broken – but I did say to Kevin – I’m gad that you are not my enemy”.
Cllr Kiely was elected deputy mayor, after he was proposed by Clr Michael Hourigan, beating off the challenge of Cllr Kathleen Leddin by one vote.
Referring to the decline of business in the city centre, Mayor Long said:
“There are new challenges for us – we must support our local shops and we need to make the Retail Incentive Scheme that has been introduced by the city manger, a success – I can tell you that the council is working behind the scenes to enhance the city centre – we must make Limerick a city that people want to shop in and stay in”.
Calling for support for the regeneration process, he said it is vital that they address the genuine concerns of people in the regeneration areas.
“I will set up a round-the-table forum for people over 18 to empower them and give them a voice, and we must bring City Hall closer to the business communities and sports organisations.
“I will represent all of the people in all of Limerick and I will keep the city and its people to the forefront at all times, and will visit all of the primary schools in the city”.
Congratulations came from the various parties. “”Don’t get too used to the mayor’s chair – remember you have to look down at me,” quipped Labour’s Cllr Gerry McLoughlan, who was tipped as a likely contender.
Cllr Maurice Quinlivan warned that Mayor Long is taking up duty on the eve of what will be “a disastrous decision in amalgamating the two local authorities of Limerick.
“The city council will be abolished and there is no justification for it. Limerick will be the test case and joint authorities will be later implemented in other cities. Our submissions, as councillors, have not been taken on board”.
Pledging to help Mayor Long “deliver and make his year as mayor very successful for Limerick,” city manager, Tom Mackey, said it is a great honour to be elected mayor of one’s own city.
