by Alan Jacques
COUNCILLORS in the Adare-Rathkeale municipal district told Limerick City and County Council this week that they would not be bullied.
Speaking at this month’s local area meeting, Fine Gael councillor Stephen Keary told the council executive that it had to no authority to tell councillors how to spend its General Municipal Allocation of €275,000.
“It’s at our total discretion,” Cllr Keary insisted.
He called for a special meeting of the full council for the GMA to be properly allocated.
The council’s head of finance and Adare-Rathkeale district director, Tom Gilligan, was absent from the meeting. He told council members at the previous meeting that it had already been agreed where to spend the money.
Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Kevin Sheahan described the current impasse as a “total cock-up”.
“We’ll be most responsible with how we spend the money in the best interest of the people who elected us,” he declared.
Independent councillor Emmett O’Brien told the local authority that he was not accepting the present position.
“We are the only area still standing by our principals and the rest are all mourning,” said Cllr O’Brien.
Operations manager for South and West Divisions, Brian Kennedy, said he would revert back to Tom Gilligan on the issue and suggest a special meeting with the full council.
