ASKING questions the Mayor is now. That sort of thing is frowned upon in local government. Did he not get the memo?
There he was, Mayor John Moran, at last week’s full meeting of the local authority, shamelessly probing the findings of the Audit and Risk Committee’s statutory report for 2023.
There’s a time and place for questions, Mayor, and the monthly meeting of Limerick City and County Council isn’t the appropriate space for such behaviour. At least that’s what some local representatives would have you believe with their carry on.
Shocked and stunned councillors were as they wept sorrowfully into their cream scones.
We have a directly-elected mayor who ask questions as well as having soirées and building sandcastles up at The Crescent. Not half brazen at all.
Mayor Moran told Council members that, as far as he was concerned, the statutory report is one of the most important things the Audit and Risk Committee does every year. With that in mind, he felt he was entitled to ask questions of said committee on said statutory report.
It didn’t sound unreasonable to me. But what would I know? I’m only an agitator, a thorn in the backside of local democracy.
Anyway, the Mayor had questions, and no better buachaill to ask them. Firstly, he wanted to know why we were only seeing the 2023 report at the end of March 2025.
And he had his homework done too, I can tell you.
“On page five we talk a lot about Limerick 2030 and I would like to understand their views if they’re happy enough with everything there,” he inquired.
“The final report on O’Connell Street on page 10 suggests there should be a report on this. There’s been an overspend in that project and it was going to have a full post-project review, so I would like to know what the audit committee thinks about that?”
“Page two refers to €15.9million of reserve, which was news to me, because it was the year before I started,” he continued. “I would be curious what the transfers were to reserves of that amount and if they’re being used for something in the next couple of years?”
“Then on page 14 there’s an issue about a VAT reclaim that was identified and Revenue were involved. Again, I would just like to be comforted that the audit committee are happy that was an isolated incident?”
The heads of the Audit and Risk Committee at this point were truly spinning.
After some replies from the committee’s temporary chairperson, Limerick’s first citizen still had questions. This prompted Príomh Chomhairleoir of Limerick City and County Council, Cllr Dan McSweeney, to put a halt to the Mayor’s inquiries.
”I do know that the committee will be meeting you sometime into the future and they’re happy everything’s in order,” Cllr McSweeney commented.
Mayor Moran was then told by the committee that if he sent a written copy of his questions, they would oblige him with specific answers.
Fine Gael councillor Sarah Kiely was not at all impressed with the Mayor’s quizzical tone, being firmly of the opinion that the audit committee should have been afforded some time to prepare for his lordship’s grilling.
Cllr Olivia O’Sullivan, again Fine Gael, felt it was an issue of “respect”.
“Can’t you contact the committee at any stage, you’re the Mayor of Limerick?” Cllr O’Sullivan asked.
Borrowing from the great Tom Jones, the Mayor told Council members that it’s not unusual to ask questions and have them answered at a public meeting where all elected members are present.
Taking note of a reference to concerns over any possible waste of money, Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Collins’ ears perked up.
”You just mentioned the words ‘waste of money’, and it brings me back to the sandcastles that you put up in The Crescent, that was a complete waste of money. You should start with your own office first,” Cllr Collins suggested.
Ah, well, as a wise old sort once put it, “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how”.
