John Moran has questioned whether there is a strategy by some to make his role as Limerick’s mayor “unbearable” to “create sufficient pressure that I might simply walk away”.
Ireland’s only directly-elected mayor made the remarks in a lengthy post on his website amid a row over Limerick City and County Council’s (LCCC)’s corporate plan which was approved by councillors on Tuesday last week.
The plan – which covers areas such as policy and governance over five years – was passed by councillors in Moran’s absence as he had to leave a long meeting before it ended for health reasons.
Moran, a former Department of Finance secretary general turned independent politician, was elected mayor in 2024. He is the first holder of the office.
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In his online post addressing last Tuesday’s meeting, he wrote: “We should have been debating the finer details of how local government should work under the reform of a directly elected mayor” but “instead, it became something very different”.
“For me personally, it was one of the lowest points since my election.”
Moran also said, without naming any councillors, that a “minority” from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil – the largest parties on LCCC who he refers to in the post as “FFG” – “have consistently opposed” significant initiatives he has proposed.
Moran wrote that the proposed corporate plan was “circulated months in advance”, it was discussed in a workshop with councillors, and amendments were adopted or responded to “months ago”.
“Yet on the day of formal adoption, without warning, extensive amendments were asked for” adding: “All these demands were compiled by a small negotiating group for FFG.”
“My requests for time to get additional help to clarify unclear points to prepare a response were rejected out of hand,” he claimed.
He also said he “took seriously unwell” at the meeting adding he “made it clear to the FFG negotiating team and also to key officials present that I was not happy with the latest proposals”.
He presented “changes which I wanted to see if the document were to be agreed”, adding: “If they were not acceptable in full, I asked that there be a suspension of the meeting until I could be present to defend my positions.”
Moran wrote that there has been commentary – though he does not specify by whom – about his departure from the meeting.
“I did not leave in protest. Earlier that morning, I had attended hospital for cardiac tests,” adding that during the meeting he experienced symptoms of concern.
“Leadership requires resilience. But it does not require recklessness. The intensity of the proceedings compounded an already physically difficult day and indeed year,” he said.
Earlier in the post under a heading of “a pattern of resistance” Moran wrote: “Since my election, a small minority of councillors within the two ‘ruling’ parties have consistently opposed almost every significant initiative I have brought forward.” Moran added: “Many across the chamber engage constructively. But a small group have chosen a different path.”
He also claimed there have been “repeated procedural obstacles placed in the way of my routine work”. He cited how an adviser recently “spent almost two hours negotiating” to have work papers delivered from City Hall to Moran’s home on a Friday afternoon while the mayor was abroad so he could work on them upon his return that weekend.
Moran wrote: “These are not the actions of people seeking collaboration. They are the tactics of those determined to resist change and do all they can to ensure my term as mayor cannot be successful.”
He also wrote that at the time of his election the people of Limerick “chose not to have a mayor from either Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael (FFG) who they might have suspected would form the majority in the council chamber”.
Without identifying anyone Moran adds: “I have long suspected that the strategy of some has been to make the role unbearable – to create sufficient pressure that I might simply walk away” and added: “If that is the case, it is profoundly disappointing.”
“The people of Limerick voted clearly for reform. They did not vote to continue the old order or to return to it. In choosing an independent mayor with the experience I brought to the election, they voted decisively for a break from the past.”
Fianna Fáil’s leader on LCCC Cllr Michael Collins declined to comment.
The Irish Times has sought to contact Fine Gael’s leader on the council, Cllr John Sheahan, as well as LCCC itself for comment.
