This article is from page 6 of the 2011-06-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
PART of Clare is going to be taken into Limerick when a decision is made in cabinet today on the Limerick boundary extension.
In a leak from a reliable source in advance of today’s decision, The Clare People has learned that land in Clare which has been, or is earmarked for, development by the University of Limerick is to come under Limerick’s control.
But fears that parts of Westbury, Shannon Banks and even Meelick and Parteen might be taken by Lim- erick in a boundary extension can be laid to rest.
It has also been leaked that no residential land in the Banner will be taken into the new super authority which will result from the amalgamation of the city and county councils in Limerick.
While anti-boundary extension activists in Clare have welcomed the fact that residential areas will be left alone, many are less than happy that the UL land is going into Limerick City.
“While the fact that no residential areas are to go into Limerick is to be welcomed, people are concerned that if one extension (of the Limerick boundary) is allowed in the campus area this will pave the way for future extensions,” said local councillor Cathal Crowe (FF).
“Clare has always facilitated UL in extending the university campus and that collaborative arrangement has worked very well. There is no need for the boundary to be changed. People will not be happy about this or the implications for the future and it will be opposed,” he said.
Jim Gullt, Chairman of the AntiBoundary Extension Committee, said that they will wait to read the Minister’s speech and see the official announcement before reacting.
In relation to the leak which points to Clare land in UL becoming part of Limerick, he said: “Our position is still the same. There is to be no cherry picking with this. It’s not the case that we’ll say ‘Okay, you left Westbury alone so we’ll concede UL’ – we are 100 per cent that no part of Limerick is to come into Clare.”
A spokeswoman for UL said they would make no comment until after the official announcement is made today.