INDEPENDENT mayoral candidate believes he is “the man with the (housing) plan” for Limerick.
The man who boldly suggested at the recent mayoral debate (held by the Limerick Post, Limerick Chamber, and the Technological University of the Shannon) that he would “solve the housing crisis” believes his recently unveiled plan can “deliver both immediate and long-term solutions to the city’s pressing housing issues”.
Mr Moran says his primary focus is on resolving Limerick’s housing shortage.
“In 2022, only 772 homes were built in Limerick, with a slight increase to 794 in 2023. However, the first quarter of 2024 saw a 3 per cent decline in new completions compared to the previous year,” he told the Limerick Post.
“Currently, Limerick averages just 41 homes available for rent each month, with prices approaching €2,000. In Limerick City West, only 12 homes are available monthly, with annual rent increases of €8,000.”
These figures, Moran argues, exemplify the housing crisis.
“These failures need to be laid at the door of the government and their candidates in this election who have failed to listen to calls for greater and more rapid housing delivery nationally and here in Limerick,” he hit out.
In a bid to meet the 2,100 to 4,000 new homes annually recommended by the Independent Housing Commission, Mr Moran suggested that that solution lies in the short term in rapid build modular homes and amenities on state-owned land throughout Limerick.
“People will have meanwhile homes as sites are bought, planned, and taken through the public procurement process,” he suggested.
The Independent candidate has also called for a 20 to 25 per cent segment of Limerick’s housing stock to be given over to public housing, which he says will discipline the private market, preventing it from exploiting housing shortages, maintaining that a mix of public and private housing is essential for stabilising the market.
He points to “historical successes, such as the development of Georgian Limerick and Newtown Pery, as evidence that ambitious housing projects are feasible” in Limerick, suggesting he wishes to “create a Vienna model of housing, offering both short and long-term solutions to ensure affordable, stable housing for generations”.
