Chamber Welcomes Establishment of Boundary Committee

23/02/2010

Press Release

18/02/2010

The Chamber has today welcomed the long awaited unveiling by Minster Gormley of the members of the Limerick Local Government Committee. 

Limerick Chamber President Harry Fehily said, “The Chamber has been lobbying for a resolution to the Boundary issue for many years.  We have always maintained that the issue of the boundary in Limerick is too politically sensitive to remain in the political arena and requires the objective consideration of an independent committee.  We are very pleased with the make up of this committee.  Along with the Chair Denis Brosnan the members are of the highest caliber and give us great confidence in what they will achieve.”

“The Boundary in Limerick is a critical issue as it has been negatively affecting business in the City and has seriously threatened the competitiveness of the entire region.  Because it has been ignored for so many years by successive Ministers we now find ourselves in the position where our City centre is seriously underperforming compared to other urban centres across the country.” Mr. Fehily continued.

“It is completely nonsensical that we have had the situation where three local authorities have responsibility for our urban area.  Thanks to very bad planning and poor co-operation particularly between the two main authorities that oversee our urban area we have more than double the amount of retail on the outskirts of our City than is in the City Centre.  This negligent planning has led us to the current critical situation where businesses are closing every day and those that remain are in fear of their future.  These authorities have shown a complete lack of regard for the prosperity of the City and the Region and the citizens they are meant to serve.  All they seem to be concerned about is protecting their own patch.”

We welcome the establishment of the Committee and in particular we are delighted that someone of the caliber of Denis Brosnan will be chairing it.  We now call on them to act quickly and make firm decisions for the sake of our City and Region.”  Mr. Fehily concluded.

Ends.

For more information contact:

Maura McMahon
Limerick Chamber
Tel: 061 217604
mmcmahon@limerickchamber.ie