Moran promises - More for Limerick
Expectation is building around this Thursday’s official launch by John Moran of his campaign for Limerick’s inaugural directly elected mayor. Mr Moran, whose family were farmers in the Athea and Templeglantine areas of West Limerick, is widely considered the ‘frontrunner’ in the race. His knowledge of local government coupled with experience at the highest level of national and EU government, his broad international experience working for multi million euro private sector businesses like Revolut, the Urban Resilience Fund and Zurich Financial Services, and his record of innovative strategic analysis and ‘can do’ approach is contrasting strongly with the other candidates.
The ex-General Secretary of the Department of Finance and former board member of Shannon Airport points to his West Limerick farming background as part of his commitment to be a Mayor for all of Limerick from ‘Abbeyfeale to the Abbey River and from Ballylanders to Ballananty’.
A large crowd - including national media – is expected to attend the Longcourt Hotel in Newcastlewest next Thursday, 4 April at 6.30pm, to hear Mr Moran and selected supporters outline what he has described as his “mission” to move all of Limerick forward. He is expected to emphasis the wisdom of sound and prudent financing and evidence based analysis of problems to be followed – directly – by action and commitment. As momentum builds around the Moran campaign, attention is now focusing on his plans. Interested parties will be travelling to Newcastlewest to hear those outlined and engage with him afterwards. All are invited and welcome to attend.
In a new departure for a political launch of this type, the formal part of the event will be followed by a mingling hour during which the crowd will be entertained by traditional musicians from both West Limerick and the city.
“I’ve been delighted and humbled by the reaction of the whole spectrum of individuals and groups who have contacted me to tell me how delighted they are that I am running and to ask how they can help – and they needn’t worry because we will be back to them to take them up on their offers”, he laughed.
“Everyone knows that the role of executive mayor is a game-changer for Limerick. It is a completely different and much more challenging type of role to the traditional model of mayor that was. Up to now, representing Limerick at launches and events or hosting visiting delegations was more important than needing to manage multi-billion euro budgets and apply expertise to solve really long-standing and difficult financial, social, cultural and infrastructural problems. I now believe that the people, businesses and civic groups of our great city and county have begun to realise that this is a different type of challenge entirely than the old role of coming through the ranks of councillors and waiting your turn for the mayoral chain”, he said.
“My official launch will be the opportunity for me to engage openly and thank in person all of the many supporters who have rallied already behind our independent campaign. People want to know that the change they yearn for is coming – and it is coming”, continued Mr Moran.
Sources within the Moran camp have already identified his priorities to include housing, healthcare, personal safety and transforming how local government operates but they also stress that he is categorically not one to look for short term fixes to long-term problems. The candidate himself confirms that approach.
“To be honest, I’ve looked at the issues we face in a national and international context, I believe that current short-term answers to long-term problems actually compound the problem. We have to be more ambitious and where that means a ‘whole-of-society’ approach and carefully moving forward by putting in place all the components of the solution over a period then that’s the way we’ll be going. That process will start the day after I’m elected; there’s going to be no more years or decades of prevarication and ‘will-we-won’t-we’. The election will reaffirm what the people of Limerick want to be done; I will then draw up an implementation plan for that, and then we move on it. I’m particularly irritated by what I call ‘micro-solutions’ for ‘macro-problems’. Miniature thinking can’t work for major problems, it never has and never will”, he said.
To cope with the large crowd expected to hear him outline his ambitious plans for Limerick, transportation is being arranged from city centre locations and Adare for those who need it. Those unable to attend in person will be able to follow the events on a live-stream of the event.
Anyone looking for more details can find more information at www.johnmoran.ie.
ends
For more information about John Moran and his campaign for mayor, visit www.johnmoran.ie.
For other media inquiries, please contact:
Caillum Hedderman
+353 86 301 8161