This article is from page 14 of the 2005-09-27 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
IN A WEEK when Ireland celebrated IRA decommissioning, the people of East Clare made it clear to the Minis- ter for the Environment, Dick Roche, that they would not be giving an inch when it came to their boundary row with Limerick.
The minister said he would consider Limerick City Council’s proposal to extend into Clare and Clare County Council’s opposition, and make a de- cision as soon as possible.
The people of East Clare are ada- mant that will not change their iden- tity overnight, however.
“If Limerick city wants to expand, let them take some of County Limer- ick,” said Parteen councillor Pascal Fitzgerald.
The councillor believes that the people of Parteen, Meelick, Westbury and Shannon Banks are being used as pawns by Limerick City Council.
““T believe the main objective of Lim- erick City Corporation is to move out the boundary to take in the university and the industrial estate in Raheen.”
He said the rates from these areas were very attractive and that Parteen and surrounding areas was merely making up numbers for the Limerick authority.
He said a lot of work had been put
into the area and the proposed bound- ary would split communities and
GAA clubs. Earlier this week, people from East
Clare raised their disapproval on a lo- cal radio programme where Minister
Roche was a guest.
One woman from Cratloe suggested that the change to a Limerick address would result in increased insurance costs, while another man suggested that the extension of the boundary would continue until Shannon Air- port would become part of the Treaty City.
Meanwhile, Limerick Labour Dep- uty Jan O’Sullivan, a native of Clon- lara, said she supports the boundary extension, but believes there should be no incursion into Clare “without ask- ing the people of Clare first.”
Limerick city mayor Diarmuid Cre avaareyle!