Social Democrats councillor for Limerick City West, Elisa O\u2019Donovan, has today announced she will be the party’s candidate for Mayor of Limerick.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Donovan made the announcement standing on the banks of the River Deel in Rathkeale, close to where she grew up.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Donovan, who was the first Social Democrats representative elected in Munster in 2019, said:<\/p>\n
\u201cI am hugely ambitious for Limerick and its future. I know that, with the right leadership, Limerick can thrive and become the best place in Ireland to live.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a frontline healthcare worker, I have a different perspective than many in politics. My work has taught me valuable lessons about the resilience of the people who live here; the strength of our local communities; and the deficits we have in so many of our important services.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that Limerick has so much potential, much of which is unfortunately being wasted because of a lack of focus and priority from central government. I know that with the right mayor in place \u2013 one who values honesty, integrity and accountability \u2013 we can change that.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy vision for Limerick is very clear. I want to build a Limerick that is fair, creative, prosperous and healthy. I want to build safer spaces for everyone in our city and county. I want to prioritise better public services and amenities so we can build strong and healthy communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cA key focus will also be the environment and ensuring that Limerick becomes the greenest and cleanest county in the country. Crucially, I also believe that we need much more transparency and accountability in local authority decision-making and much greater engagement with the public.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe role of mayor in Limerick is a new one and whoever is elected will shape the future growth and development of the county for the next five years. The stakes could not be higher and we must get this right.<\/p>\n
\u201cUltimately, we must elect a mayor who will place the wellbeing of the people of Limerick at the heart of every decision and policy. As I have done in the council, I give a commitment to do this and to work tirelessly to improve life for everyone across the city and county.\u201d<\/p>\n
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said:<\/p>\n
\u201cElisa has been a fantastic councillor for Limerick City West and has worked extremely hard since she was elected in 2019. I know she is eager to work just as hard for the people of the whole county as Mayor.<\/p>\n
\u201cLimerick is a fantastic place with so much potential. What is required is someone with the right vision, skillset and work ethic to drive the city and county forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cElisa has all of those attributes. She has a deep love of Limerick and a deep desire to improve it, in every respect, for everyone who lives there. As a frontline health worker and councillor, she is also committed to public service and knowledgeable about local government.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll she needs is the chance to get that work started and create the better Limerick that we all want to see.\u201d<\/p>\n
March 13, 2024<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Social Democrats councillor for Limerick City West, Elisa O\u2019Donovan, has today announced she will be the party’s candidate for Mayor of Limerick. O\u2019Donovan made the announcement standing on the banks of the River Deel in Rathkeale, close to where she grew up. O\u2019Donovan, who was the first Social Democrats representative elected in Munster in 2019, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4635,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[387,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4634","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-councillors","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n