Limerick’s new mayor has requested Simon Harris for a €2bn apple tax fund for the county

Limerick’s new, straight elected mayor has requested Taoiseach Simon Harris for €2 billion from the Apple Tax Fund to be returned on to the town and county.

In a private plea to Mr Harris, Mayor John Moran stated that given the €14 billion got here from Munster’s industrial operations, greater than half of the cash ought to go to the area.

He recommended the cash be break up between €3.5 billion for Cork, €2 billion for Waterford, €1 billion for Galway and €2 billion for Limerick.

In a prolonged letter and submission to the Taoiseach in September, Mr Moran stated it will assist rebalance the nation’s financial system which was “dangerously concentrated within the east”.

The Lord Mayor of Limerick additionally wrote to thank Mr Harris for his robust help for native authorities reform and direct elections.

Mr Moran stated: “You recommended, considerably gently, that reform was by no means straightforward – and after solely ninety days of labor, I admit you have been proper. »

He stated the challenges dealing with Limerick have been important however “not insurmountable” and known as for presidency help in three areas.

The Lord Mayor stated this included signaling funding within the county’s underused rail system, a complete suburban transport plan and an investigation into constructing a brand new hospital on a brand new web site.

He added that Limerick – and different regional cities – have been anticipated to develop at twice the speed of Dublin, however there was “an enormous disparity” in funding.

Mr Moran wrote: “I’m due to this fact asking for a dedication to extra funding for every of the regional cities and I’m pleased to counsel the kind of essential initiatives which might then be prioritized by you for Limerick on this context.

“The quantity of Limerick’s catch-up allocation could be round €2 billion.”

Mr Moran – who beforehand labored on the Division of Finance – stated he was “revisiting [his] Price range Writing Abilities” to supply some ideas on what could possibly be included in Ministers Jack Chambers and Paschal Donohoe’s speeches final October.

He then defined how this fund of two billion euros could possibly be used, together with 200 million euros for a growth undertaking for the Colbert station and 50 million euros for a central library.

An additional dedication of €140 million has been requested to construct a brand new constructing for the OPW and Income Commissioners on the metropolis’s Opera Centre.

Different calls for included €250 million for rail initiatives, €30 million for a gaming museum and different vacationer sights, and €25 million to “reimagine Rathkeale – one among our most stunning cities”. most deprived.

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One other textual content recommended for inclusion within the funds speech learn: “Cash alone is not going to get initiatives achieved. I’m due to this fact additionally asserting an extra allocation of €20 million in working expenditure to the Limerick Mayor’s Fund to cowl salaries, set-up prices and in any other case fund an infrastructure and infrastructure help staff for 2025. the implementation of the Mayor’s packages in Limerick.

Requested in regards to the recordsdata, a spokesperson for Mr Moran stated the Lord Mayor had welcomed the numerous allocation supplied for the Limerick neighborhood within the 2025 Price range.

He stated: “Authorities selections now present for the financing of concrete measures to be taken to equalize the extent of capital funding on each side of the nation.

“Limerick is open for enterprise and dealing arduous to maneuver initiatives ahead to allow them to be delivered.”