The new directly elected Mayor of Limerick has established the first of a number of expert groups headed by local councillors to tackle some of the pressing challenges facing the city and county, including measures to tackle homelessness and drug addiction.
The groups will bring together several people from different fields and areas of expertise, including industry and community stakeholders.
These individuals will develop specific, practical, sustainable and people centred solutions for the region over the coming years.
The initial three groups will focus on homelessness and drug addiction, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the development of public parks.
The published report of each group will be instrumental in advising Mayor John Moran on policy formation and the delivery of the Mayoral Programme.
The report will also be presented to the relevant policy committee of the council.
The group focusing on homelessness and drug addiction will provide recommendations on specific short-term actions to address homelessness within the community.
The group, co-chaired by Aontú Councillor Sarah Beasley, will produce an interim report to focus on what actions might be taken to eradicate childhood homelessness over the term of the council.
The SME taskforce will be responsible for actions to support indigenous businesses alongside building a five-year SME action plan.
The group, which will be led by Fine Gael Councillor Peter Doyle, will devise an interim report by reviewing the recommendations that are contained in Mr Moran's Covid-19 report on SME recovery in 2020.
Green Party Councillor Sean Hartigan will head the group tasked with building a master plan for heritage sites and public nature parks throughout Limerick.
It will assess current amenities, identify gaps in facilities and provide recommendations for expanding access to green spaces, particularly in urban and town areas where residents may lack private gardens.
Mr Moran said he is "delighted to be able to continue to push the boat out and use the innovation of the new mayoral role to transform how Government works in Limerick".
He said the groups will have an "important role in producing specific practical policy actions" for the mayor’s office to "shape the future of Limerick".
"I want to thank those council members who have already put their hands up to co-chair these groups and I look forward to working with them and others over the coming weeks as we set up more of these groups to create a better future for all residents of Limerick," Mr Moran said.
He added that "a number of councillors, including the three mentioned today," had during the preparation of the Mayoral Programme expressed interest in aspects of it alongside "working to advance those areas, not just for their own electoral area but for Limerick".
