AS the final stretch approaches for the election of Limerick’s first directly-elected mayor, Independent community candidate Helen O’Donnell has again outlined just some of her aims if chosen “to lead my city and county over the next five years”.
On the “urgent issue” of housing, she will address the three fundamental pillars of the housing model, namely social, affordable, and private.
Ms O’Donnell explained: “I plan to organise a housing forum where developers and the community can express their concerns and ideas. This will help us address the challenges and obstacles to providing new housing.”
“I will promptly collaborate with the Land Development Agency (LDA) to speed up the release of state lands for affordable housing in various areas of Limerick city and county.
“In relation to private housing, I want the local authority to be exceptionally focused on the execution of timely planning.
“The successful implementation of the directly-elected mayor’s housing strategy depends on determination and drive, and I have demonstrated that I possess these qualities in abundance.”
She said that boil water notices, currently in place in some parts of County Limerick, would be addressed immediately with Uisce Éireann (Irish Water), as they are “detrimental to increased housing stock, damaging to small business and negative when promoting Limerick as an option for industry.”
Inadequate sewage systems would be rectified through local financial support, said O’Donnell.
Shannon Estuary too will plan a key part in Limerick’s future, she stressed.
“It has the potential for floating offshore wind installations of scale, which would sustain our electricity needs going forward, along with providing an enormous amount of high-end, quality jobs in renewable energy-type industrial land development. The Shannon Estuary is arguably the world’s largest natural and best wind resource.”
Shannon Foynes Port Company will be a lead facility, which the DEM candidate aims to help secure “critical significant” Capital Investment Support from both Government and the European Union.
As a founder for TLC (Team Limerick Clean-Up), the community activist says she would support the upkeep of Limerick as a whole with an increase in personnel associated with the upkeep of the city and county, on an all-round year basis.
“We all have pride in our communities, and let us work harder to create a Lovely Limerick, from Abbeyfeale in the West to Doon in the East, and everywhere in between,” said O’Donnell
Businesses would also be encouraged to present a positive image.
O’Donnell is running a poster-free campaign with only 70 large roadside banner adverts in the entire county.
Another promise is that every village and town would have a better park area, incorporating additional amenities such as cardiac exercise equipment.
Quite spaces around the city is an ambition of the DEM contestant also, so as to help those with Autism, as an example.
More community allotments and the like too would be provided, such as “the great facility that is there at St Munchin’s Community Centre.”
Air quality testing would also be implemented under O’Donnell, she says.
With the Ryder Cup at Adare only around the corner, golf is to be promoted by O’Donnell through such facilities as the Municipal Course at Rathbane.
She said: “It would give me the greatest of honours to lead this brilliant county of Limerick from 2024 to 2029. I am passionate about Limerick, always have been. I would love nothing better than to guide over another exciting chapter in its storied history.”
