WITH austerity measures on the way, a call has been made on Mayor Gerry McLoughlin, to take a 50% slice in his salary, and for councillors to re-examine their perks. It comes from Fianna Fail’s Cllr Kieran O’Hanlon, fearful of the repercussions from a planned 10% reduction in city council’s local government funding. “I also believe that the annual payments made to chairs of the various Strategic Policy Committees should be done away with, and that civic receptions should be completely cut out.
“This is an opportunity for the councillors to lead by example, volunteer to either forego the €4,700 annually they receive for attending conferences or accept half that amount.
“I have no qualms in asking the mayor to reduce his salary by half”.
Cllr O’Hanlon is in no doubt austerity measures will have a major negative impact on essential services.
“Overtime will be cut, there will have to be savings implemented in the running of parks, libraries road repairs and perhaps street cleaning etc., and very worryingly, there will probably be further cuts in disability grants – the question is – where do we go from here.
“We councillors need to know what austerity measures will be put in place”.
One councillor, who does not wish to be named, said that City Hall should abandon Civic and Freedom of the City receptions, especially in these difficult times.
The amount of money involved, he suggested, could be spent on better things. “I don’t even think the recipients would be in favour of the huge expenditure involved”.
There is every likelihood that an emergency meeting of Limerick City Council will be called within the next week.
Mayor McLoughlin has addressed the issue of a reduction of €800,000 in funding with the acting city manager.
Speaking to the Limerick Post, he said:
“The reduction is based on the percentage of domestic homes that have yet to pay the Household Charge in the city.
“I’ve requested from the city manager and our finance officials, that they prepare a report on where possible savings may be made for the council to consider as soon as is practical”.
