Port board agrees to further talks on docks sale
The elected members of Limerick City Council are opposed to the sale of the docks and the Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Joe Leddin, accused SFPC of rushing the sale.
The docks covers 44 acres near Limerick city centre.
SFPC executives want to transfer shipping handled by Limerick docks to Foynes and raise capital for a e100 million upgrading programme of shipping facilities in the Shannon Estuary from the sale of the docks.
The company launched an advertising campaign seeking expressions of interest from property developers and said it received a major response.
Its chief executive Brian Byrne had said he was hoping to bring proposals before the September meeting of the board.
After Monday’s acrimonious board meeting, SFPC issued a statement saying the September meeting would now be an information gathering exercise only.
In a statement the company said yesterday: “No decision on any specific proposal or development has been made at this juncture.”
Mr McSweeney said no motion on a decision for any proposal would be tabled for the meeting on September 7.
The board of the company has also agreed to enter into “a comprehensive, inclusive and participative evaluation process” with the Limerick port users and Limerick city councillors, as well as the wider stakeholder community as the next phase of the project.
Mayor Leddin welcomed the board decision and he said he was looking forward to working with the SFPC board.
He said the port company was charged with the responsibility to manage and develop the docks on behalf of the people of Limerick.
He said: “The development of Limerick docklands is critical to the city’s continued growth.”
He said a quick sale of the docks would be premature and reckless.
It is understood that Monday’s emergency board meeting was called by the representative of Limerick City Council on the board, Cllr Kieran O’Hanlon.
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