Limerick chief councillor hits back after alleged 'demeaning' comment by mayor in meeting 

Catherine Slattery demanded but did not receive an apology after alleged comment made by mayor John Moran

Catherine Slattery's role was created in 2024 — she is the chief councillor. 

Limerick chief councillor, príomh chomhairleoir, Catherine Slattery said she has been “disrespected, demeaned, and intimidated” after Limerick mayor John Moran made a comment about her during a council meeting.

During a council meeting on Monday, Ms Slattery demanded an apology from Mr Moran for a comment he allegedly made which was not picked up, but muffled, on microphone.

It is understood the alleged comment was a reference to Ms Slattery’s attendance record at the implementation committee meetings.

The Fianna Fáil councillor said the Limerick mayor was aware of a formal complaint she sent under the Dignity at Work protocol — a complaint sent in October 2025. It is understood the document referred to is seven-pages long.

“ Nobody, whether you are a man or a woman in a workplace needs to accept being intimidated, disrespected, or demeaned in your place of work,” Ms Slattery said in a video shared on social media after the meeting.

“I, for one, would not be sitting back and allowing that to happen to me. I would speak out at every opportunity, I guess, because what message would I be sending out to women or young girls out there to accept this type of behaviour?” 

She added: “I will continue to be there as long as I'm elected and I will continue to speak out on the matters, and the community issues in Limerick that I feel are worth bringing up in the chamber.

So to be disrespected, demeaned, and intimidated in a workplace is not something that I will tolerate.

Ms Slattery said her family was “being targeted” on social media, although did not specify who made the alleged comments.

“What kind of signal are you putting out there into the public domain where you feel it's okay to target an individual family, doesn't matter what kind of job you're in. Shame on you,” she added.

On Tuesday, Mr Moran held a meeting for this year’s mayoral fund, during which he was pressed several times on the matter. He refused to comment and said the meeting should be about “good news for Limerick”.

He was also asked about the formal complaint through the Dignity at Work protocol, which he said he was “not aware of” yet.

“It's sad that when we try and announce good news like this for Limerick that the story becomes something else,” Mr Moran said.

“I appreciate that everyone's been writing stuff and I really appreciate that they're capturing what happened, and people have different views perhaps of what happened last night.” 

Ms Slattery's role as príomh chomhairleoir was created under the 2024 legislation for a directly elected mayor. The position of is one of chief councillor. 

The further tension comes after Mr Moran accused some councillors of being “hostile” towards him in February, in a blogpost shared on his own website.

Mr Moran brought a private meeting into the public eye, a move branded as “reflecting badly” on Limerick by arts minister Patrick O’Donovan, yet welcomed by others, such as junior minister Niall Collins.

When contacted for comment by the Irish Examiner, Catherine Slattery said: "Sorry, I'm not available."

John Moran was also contacted for further comment.

Asked about the complaint made by Ms Slattery, a spokesperson for Limerick City and Council Council said: “Limerick City and County Council does not comment on matters related to the code of conduct.”