Minister’s ‘no’ to Limerick worth €260,000 to Clare

ENVIRONMENT Minister Phil Hogan’s decision to reject the proposed transfer of five square kilometres of land into a new authority for Limerick City and County will ensure that Clare Co Council retains €260,000 in commercial rates.

Commercial rates from traders in Gillogue, Clonlara, net the council about €160,000 annually while the Westbury Shopping Centre and other local businesses provide about €100,000.

The county council had also faced the prospect of losing hundreds of thousands of euro from major new industries in south-east Clare if the minister had implemented the controversial boundary recommendations in the Limerick Local Government Report.

This had recommended the transfer of more than 3,000 people living in Westbury, Shannon Banks and parts of Clonlara into a new expanded Limerick.

Meanwhile, the University of Limerick confirmed it didn’t make any submission to the Government requesting governance by one single new authority in Limerick.

Speculation was rife the Clare Campus of UL would be included as part of the amalgamation of Limerick city and county councils and would be removed from the jurisdiction of Clare Co Council.

This recommendation, which was included in the Limerick Local Government Committee was rejected by Mr Hogan on Tuesday.

In a submission, it emerged UL president Don Barry stated the university was satisfied with the service and assistance received from both local authorities in developing its campus over the past four decades.

“A strong and enduring sense of connection to our communities is a defining feature of the University of Limerick.

“The university serves many communities. We realise that we have a responsibility to promote economic, educational, social and cultural development, particularly in the Shannon region and, at the same time, we also recognise the mutual enhancement that flows from the engagement between Limerick City and the University,” it stated.