Moran, Front runner Mayor Candidate, asks 200 people at launch “Why Not?” more for Limerick
In a departure from other candidates launching in the city, John Moran, front running Directly Elected Mayor candidate, officially launched his campaign to become Limerick’s inaugural directly elected mayor yesterday evening outside of Limerick City, at the Longcourt Hotel in Newcastle West. The professional and innovative event was also live-streamed to those who could not travel.
A large attendance of 150 braved the weather to travel to Newcastle West for the launch and included cousins and family friends of Mr Moran from Athea and elsewhere in his West Limerick hinterland. They were joined by another 50 or so on the live-stream online. All were told by Mr Moran that they were “making history”.
Mr Moran was first endorsed by a number of speakers, including Mary Fitzgerald of the Woodlands and entrepreneur Karthik Gajendra originally from India and now living in Castletroy.
Speaking to an enthusiastic and focussed room, Mr Moran in his speech, using personal stories and compelling economic evidence, explained his concerns that although Limerick is improving, it is moving too slowly. As other regions in Europe and even Ireland are moving faster, Limerick is therefore falling behind.
He explained why it is critical that why Limerick must aim higher, explained how it can reach more ambitious aims, and why he believes he is the person to coordinate what he described as a “whole community and regional shift in attitude and aspiration” to have the kind of economic, social, agri-environmental and infrastructure he insisted Limerick both deserved and can achieve.
He challenged the cynics who say that the new role of DEM cannot make a difference saying that he disagreed entirely.
“This job is massive.
Don’t let any other candidates pretend that that is not is a big job!
The role of executive mayor will be a hugely demanding role and the stakes are high if we make a mistake. We do not want Limerick to have a Liz Truss moment.“
He pointed out that to make a real difference it is critical that the successful candidate has a passion for Limerick and making it better, has a well-formulated ambitious and realistic vision of Limerick’s future. But that is not enough. In addition, the candidate must have the track record and skills to deliver that and the independence from party politics to be able to work with everyone but also not be constrained by party rules from putting Limerick first and only Limerick first.
But he also pointed to the danger of ongoing delays in delivery saying:
“I will refuse to accept that delivery can be delayed without accountability.
That accountability will start with me and be examined during quarterly public updates on progress like I did during the troika years or during live streamed council meetings.
There should be no more delays. Every time we miss a deadline, the suffering and worries of so many people continues in the face of rising rents and house prices, hospital waiting lines and closed shops.
So now we need to just get on with it.
I will demand #MOREFORLIMERICK but I will also ask #MOREOFLIMERICK, of myself, of our politicians and of all of you.
We are better than the Limerick we are today and I believe we are ready for MORE.”
Mr Moran views echoed the sentiments of one of his supporters who speaking earlier described the choice facing Limerick’s voters on June 7 as the administrative equivalent of the ‘John Kiely Moment’ presented to Limerick’s hurling team.
“I don’t know if we are good enough to win it all, but we are certainly better than this. When someone comes along and dares a group of Limerick people to commit to relentless excellence we see where that collective effort can bring them. As it happens and in their chosen area, that leader and that effort has Limerick now on the brink of history and please God, that entry in the record books will be written this year. I think that this election on June 7 is Limerick’s economic and social ‘John Kiely Moment’. It’s when we are faced with the choice between more of the same old same or making the commitment to our native place and each other that we are going to start moving forward this county and city."
During his speech, Moran said “Some people believe that Limerick cannot be world class and I say why not? Let me be clear about one thing - I shall never apologise for wanting more for Limerick. And, look around - it should be clear - we need to do more for Limerick.”
He asked his audience when they leave the room to challenge anyone who says it is not possible for Limerick to do something it should be doing, by asking them “Why not?”.
He explained that after his experiences pulling the finances of the State back from the cliff edge in 2010, which everyone said was impossible at the time, he would “never again” fear working with a budget of several billion or the kind of dizzying sums that the position of Mayor will involve - some five billion over five years.
And he continued to explain how in the ten years since he returned to Limerick, when seeing stuff which needed to be changed, he has repeatedly asked different audiences ‘Why Not?’
For example, “why shouldn’t Limerick have a working and accessible rail network into the city and around the county: “I saw a network of railway lines going through Moyross, Corbally, Dooradoyle, Patrickswell, Adare and Kilmallock but no trains and working stations which could have ignited more sustainable and affordable living and I asked Why Not?”
With a reminder that it required someone to ask Why NOT for it to happen he also instanced other such deficiencies and changes he has helped deliver ranging from opening the Hunt Garden, bringing the workers to Uber’s office in Catherine Street, Colbert Quarter and the COVID supports like the Help Line, Lean on Me and the SME Recovery Ireland campaign.
Having walked on stage to the song of ‘061’ by Denise Chaila, Moran concluded his speech to a standing ovation with a quote from the song that hit the nail on the head of the principle of his vision and campaign: “As Denise would say, come here to the 061 (and the other 06’s) and we’ll show you how to get things done and how to have some fun.”
Finally, in a reminder to people that his campaign has also been about bringing fun back to politics, John also noted since that he was delighted on a personal basis to finally play on stage with the great Domhnall de Barra and musicians from the Athea Colhaltas Ceolteoiri Eireann and musicians from the World Academy of Music in yet another sign of his desire to use his campaign bring the city and county together.
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For further information please visit www.johnmoran.ie
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