Councillors slam mayor over 'sh*tshow' stewardship in Limerick

David Raleigh

Elected councillors in Limerick launched a stinging attack on the first directly elected mayor John Moran on Tuesday, describing his stewardship as a “sh*tshow”.

The elected representatives told a special meeting of the council on Tuesday night of “toxic” comments by Mr Moran in an interview on his local radio station LIVE 95 on October 22nd.

Mr Moran had told the radio that council events in Limerick were “not up to the standard” seen in other cities such as Waterford and Galway.

He said he did not support some of the council’s proposed events because he felt these lacked adequate financial details, would not offer “value for money”, and he said Limerick deserved higher standards.

Mr Moran also said that while council staff had done their best, “the people of Limerick want more done” and that the council required more staff.

Councillors and the council executive were outraged after Mr Moran told the radio station: “I think I was elected for this, for more transparency about how we are spending money, checking value for money, etc.

“I believe in looking after public money, as I think everybody does, but its a question of higher standards."

Mr Moran said he tried to boost staff resources “to make them more efficient”, but he claimed there was “no strategic human resources in the organisation” to realise this.

Mr Moran said he had voiced “concerns” with the executive about the council’s use of public money and was still waiting for a response.

On October 23rd, a day after Mr Moran’s radio interview, Council Director General, Dr Pat Daly, told staff and councillors in a leaked internal e-mail: “Many of you have been in touch regarding the Mayor’s interview. I want to assure you that I have listened to the interview, and I fully understand and share the sense of disappointment that some of the remarks have caused.”

Dr Daly stated in the email that while he understood staff may be “disheartened, it is important that we focus our energy on what we do best, that is, serving our community with professionalism, intergrity, and pride”.

On October 27th, Mayor Moran emailed council staff only, informing them that the local authority required a “specific new experienced team” to help guide it through the “transformation” of the council under the new directly elected mayor system, whereby the mayor and not the executive hold the majority of the council’s purse strings.

At the special council meeting held on Tuesday night, councillors unanimously supported an emergency motion of confidence in the director general, his executive, and all the council staff, brought by Fianna Fáil Cllr Michael Collins.

During the emotive meeting, councillors, one by one, told Mr Moran they were disgusted at his comments on the radio last week.

Cllr Collins told the mayor his comments were “toxic” and that “when you come under pressure to deliver for Limerick, you blame others”.

“Let me tell you Mayor, morale has never been as low in this organisation, and has been since the (directly elected) mayoral election in 2024.

“We have seen management personnel leave, senior staff leave, and I’m also aware for staff members out on sick leave.”

Fianna Fáil Cllr John Sheehan told the meeting: “This council was working fine prior to the introduction of the directly elected mayor.”

Cllr Sheehan said it was the first time in his 21 years sitting on the council that he was aware council staff had contacted “union reps” with concerns about a mayor’s comments.

Cllr Sheehan said the council had become a “malfunctioning force” and a “sh*tshow”.

Fine Gael Cllr, Adam Teskey, also described as “a real sh*tshow” council business since the mayor was elected in June 2024.

Cllr Teskey suggested “an intervention” was required by the Department of Local Government, to “reset” the directly elected mayoral system.

In an extraordinary summing up, Dr Daly told the meeting: “I am worried about the organisation, I’m very worried about the capacity we have to deliver.”

Dr Daly acknowledged Mr Moran’s concerns in respect of budgetary and staff restraints, and he said the council had “no extra resources” at present.

Dr Daly said the “mayor’s programme and scope of ambition is about the same size as the organisation” and the “delivery of service plans” would cost €1.6 billion over the mayor’s tenure of five years.

Defending the council, Dr Daly said it was “not a perfect organisation, but, by Jesus, it’s a good one and I won’t have anything said about it in public”.

Mayor Moran expressed confidence in the council executive and staff, and he told the meeting: “I believe the staff of this organisation have done amazing work, just in case anyone wants to twist that, but I do not believe that they are supported fully to do what they need to do.”

“I have been elected to deliver a better Limerick. I have worked with Pat Daly, and I will continue to work with Pat Daly.”