Vacant sites threaten Limerick's towns and city, warns business body
Chief Wants Chamber's Economist Ryan Golden Seán The To Chamber's Submission Dereliction Limerick Government Tackle And Dee Ceo Action
Vacancy, dereliction, and mounting cost of doing business are threatening Limerick's city and towns and urgent action is required to support businesses, Limerick Chamber has said in its pre Budget submission.
The business representative body said the Government must bring forward plans for strategic vacant and derelict sites in cities and towns across the country. The Chamber's Chief Economist Seán Golden said the region was dealing with the paradox of a high number of vacant premises in contrast with a severe lack of affordable housing. He said that just 57 homes at an average cost of €1,200 per month, were on the rental market in the whole of Clare in August.
"Paradoxically, vacancy and dereliction are not uncommon across the country in towns and cities, undermining efforts at vibrancy being made by community groups and businesses," he said.
In their submission, the Chamber highlight the potential benefits for Limerick of a review of the Living Cities Initiative, with a loosening of eligibility for the property renovation scheme making it more accessible for would-be homeowners. They want the initiative extended beyond December 31 and expanded to include properties built post-1915 up to a certain date to allow “younger” housing stock to fall within the LCI.
Limerick Chamber has 400 member companies that support 50,000 jobs across the Mid West.
“The challenge for Government in Budget 2023 is to balance doing enough to address the current cost of living and cost of doing business crisis, whilst also putting a focus on long-term challenges that face our country," Mr Golden said.
"In addition to housing, we must become much more ambitious in our aims for the renewable energy sector. Limerick and the Mid-West has an enormous role to play in helping the EU decarbonise through floating offshore wind from the Shannon Estuary and we are calling for increased focus at Government on realising this opportunity.”
Chamber Chief Executive, Dee Ryan said: "Without adequate response from Government targeted into vulnerable households and vulnerable businesses, we face potential closures and job losses in 2023. This in turn will have an impact on our town and city centres with consumer-facing businesses taking the brunt of the decline in consumer confidence.