FORMER Mayor of Limerick Jim Long has entered the fray as a candidate for the upcoming local elections in City West.
Speaking to the Limerick Post this Wednesday, the former Fine Gael councillor revealed that he has been encouraged to come out of retirement and put himself forward as an Independent candidate on May 24.
“Over the past five years, I have always been available to people who needed advice on a broad number of issues and concerns. Also, I kept an eye and ear on the shenanigans at council,” the Ballinacurra Gardens man explained.
“My assessment is that delivery has been overshadowed by personal fulfilment of the majority of councillors who sit in council chambers. It is very obvious that the cosy done deal between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil at the behest of senior management within Limerick City and County Council has led to these councillors becoming yes men and women to the chief executive and his team.
“As a result, we have dictatorship at the cost of governance and democracy,” he claimed.
“This is evident in relation to a number of issues that have failed the people of Limerick over the years.
“To name but a few, the huge concerns from operations at the Irish Cement and Aughinish factories from toxic pollutants has now soared beyond health concerns, to an actual denial of our human rights by administrators and agencies.
“Our elected members have been extremely silent on the process. The mould must be broken between the Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil coalition and senior management.
“They have to be ousted and replaced by trustworthy candidates who will deliver for the people, not for Council management, themselves or multinationals,” he concluded.
