Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, Limerick’s elected Councillors and the Executive of Limerick City and County Council have agreed on a Budget for 2025.
Council agree balanced budget to fund growth and expand council services:
- Total Proposed 2025 Revenue & Capital Budget €1.68BN
- Supports Implementation of Mayoral Programme
- Enhanced Business Supports for Sector including SME Grant maintained at 13.5% - 94% of rate payers eligible
- Increase in Housing Maintenance Budget
- Vulnerable in society support e.g. Refuse Waivers/Homeless provision/Ukrainian support/Housing grants for the elderly and disabled/SICAP funding
The passing of the first budget since Ireland’s first ever directly elected mayor took office, is a significant milestone for Limerick and the country, marking a new era of local governance.
The statutory budget meeting took place in the Council Chamber at Limerick City and County Council’s offices in Dooradoyle today (Friday 29 November).
The budget is being delivered to fund economic growth and support Council services. The members put forward a resolution that resulted in no Commercial Rates increase being applied for 2025, illustrating that the Council is pro-business.
New areas for focus identified for 2025 from the Mayoral Programme, are being prioritised and resourced from the Mayoral Fund, which is exchequer funded. All these key priority areas together will bring focus on local service improvement to stimulate a More Liveable, a More Prosperous, and More Healthy Limerick.
2025 will mark the first full year of the Mayor’s five-year term. The Budget is the first step in delivering the More For Limerick Programme, which details ambitious goals across housing, health, infrastructure and economic development, in line with the Programme objectives.
The total estimated revenue expenditure will be €923.6 million for 2025, this reflects an increase of day-to-day expenditure of €20 million and a reduction of expenditure in the HAP shared services centre which Limerick runs on behalf of the 31 local authorities(HAP SSC) giving a net decrease of €13.5 million on the adopted figure for 2024 of €942.78m. As the HAP SSC expenditure is matched by a corresponding income, it has no net effect on the Budgetary Provisions.
Expansion of services:
There will also be an increase in several budget areas that are subject to high demand including housing maintenance, road maintenance, increased grants allocation for the elderly and vulnerable.
Limerick City and County Council provides over 700 different services to the residents, businesses and visitors in the city and county.
Budgets for the key areas include:
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Housing Maintenance, Traveller and Estate Management €13.3m
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Administration of Homeless Service €14m
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Housing Grants €1.3m
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Rental Accommodation Scheme/ Leasing €26.4m
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Local and Regional, Primary and Secondary Roads, Public Lighting, Road Safety and Traffic Management €51m
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Limerick Fire & Rescue Service €22.2m
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Street Cleaning and Illegal Dumping €5.05m
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Grass Cutting/ Trees and Horticulture, Maintenance of Parks €3.8m
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Enhanced Festivals & Events Programme €1.7m
Capital:
A report on the programme of capital projects proposed for the 5 years 2025 to 2029 which is subject to funding availability was also considered by the Members at today’s Budget meeting.
The report detailed how the Council is pursuing much increased ambitious capital programme compared to the expected outturn for 2024, focused on key priorities like housing and infrastructure while also maximising investment into the City and County from a range of national programmes including URDF, RRDF, Outdoor Recreation Scheme, Town and Village Renewal etc. Some of the main items included in this report were:
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SMART Housing
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Phase two of the Limerick to Foynes Rail Line
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Adare By-Pass
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Floodproofing of homes like those in King’s Island.
Mayor of Limerick, John Moran says today marks a ‘significant milestone’ for Limerick:
“This budget is not just a financial plan; it symbolises the trust and cooperation between the Office of Mayor and the council, essential for driving Limerick's development and improving the quality of life for its residents. We have a shared commitment to making Limerick a better place for all its residents. Together, we are laying the foundation for a brighter future, addressing key issues such as housing, infrastructure, and community well-being. I look forward to continuing our work together to implement the 'More for Limerick' programme and drive meaningful progress for our city."
Dr Pat Daly, Director General of Limerick City and County Council:
“This is a historic budget, the first of its kind in local government in Ireland. It sets a precedent for future directly elected mayors, showing that collaborative governance can lead to effective decision-making and progress. The Budget ensures that existing services are maintained to a high standard, while also enhancing resources in key priority areas.”