‘BANANAS’ was one of the words used by councillors to describe the expenditure for Christmas in Limerick events 2024 which set the taxpayers back over €240,000.
At last week’s Metropolitan District meeting, Social Democrats councillor Elisa O’Donovan asked for a detailed costings for the December period. She raised serious concerns that the Council does not learn lessons from previous failures before reminding them that it is taxpayers’s money that is being spent on Christmas in the city.
“This is taxpayers’ money that is being used,” the City West representative pointed out after getting a breakdown.
The events, Cllr O’Donovan was informed, are to to animate the city centre, attract footfall and celebrate Christmas in Limerick.
The figures released to council members for the spend on Christmas 2024 in Limerick included €43,370 on Milestone Animation Public Realm, €27,676 on A Magical Winter’s Tale procession (LUXE), €17,404 on A Magical Winter’s Tale procession (Grooveyard), €774 on photography, €11,250 on Festival in a Van (including local artists), €10,000 on Treaty City Brewery Festive Fairs (x2), €5,000 on Christmas at Limerick Milk Market, and €22,500 on Music Generation (including local artists).
A further €3,200 was spent on Opera Limerick (River Notes), €5,000 on Toots Train, €465 on Fab Lab UL, €500 on Christmas Tales by the Limerick Fireside, €3,075 on Couture at the Castle, €1,864 on Santa’s Greenway fancy dress cycle, €7,500 on Christmas pop-up sing along trail (x3), €9,550 on Christmas trees, €15,674 on Christmas tree installation, €9,420 on Christmas tree lighting on the O’Connell monument at The Crescent, and €25,539 on Arthur’s Quay Christmas lights.
On top of this, €1,678 was spent on advertising road closures, €500 on St Michael’s Rowing Club, €2,525 on traffic management at O’Connell Crescent, €2,300 on Lumen Street Theatre at O’Connell Crescent, €650 on 16 Tonnes of Jive at O’Connell Crescent, €2,000 for stage, lighting and sound for 16 Tonnes of Jive, €100 for school at O’Connell Crescent, €567 for miscellaneous at O’Connell Crescent, €1,635 for Santa’s Grotto on O’Connell Crescent, €2,250 for Limerick bands (x3), €3,540 for traffic management at A Cruises Street Christmas and €3,064 for Light Up Red (OPW).
Social Democrats councillor Elisa O’Donovan told the Council executive that every year she has people contacting her to say “this is the worst Christmas” they ever had.
“Since I became a councillor in 2019, I have to admit, it’s gotten progressively worse. And that’s really embarrassing for a lot of us here,” Cllr O’Donovan declared.
The total spent by Limerick City and County Council for Christmas in Limerick 2024 came to a total of €240,574.
