Pic. Brian Arthur/ Press 22.
THIS week, Limerick’s Metropolitan area representatives voted overwhelmingly in favour of retaining the title of Mayor for their district, leaving Limerick in the ludicrous situation of having two Mayors representing the city and county.
The amalgamation of the City and County Councils was supposed to streamline local government, but instead it has led to confusion with two men in Mayoral chains turning up to civic events.
Even more ridiculous than having two Mayors in one county is the amount of time our elected representatives have spent discussing the issue.
It was difficult to disagree with Anti-Austerity Alliance councillor Cian Prendiville when he dismissed the debate as “boys and their toys”, a distraction from the real issues at hand.
If that wasn’t bad enough, last month we had the Mayor and Deputy Mayor (of the City and County that is) squabbling over who gets to go on a junket to France.
Deputy Mayor Joe Crowley argued that he should go instead of Mayor Kevin Sheahan “because it would be nice to have had some trip away” before his term as Deputy Mayor comes to an end.
Cllr Crowley said this without a hint of awareness of how self-entitled it sounds.
Public representatives are elected by the people of the city and county to be their voice on local issues and to work for their area to the best of their ability.
Listening to our councillors, it may not always seem that way but they are not elected to parade around in robes and chains or to go on free trips around the world.
Yes, the title of Mayor of Limerick City is steeped in more than 800 years of history, and that should be remembered and respected.
But that is what the Limerick City Museum is for.
There are far more pressing issues facing the citizens of Limerick City and County right now, and these are infinitely more important than titles, robes and junkets.
Our elected representatives would do well to remember that.
