The regular monthly gathering of the Limerick No. 1 District Council convened on the recent Tuesday. The session was overseen by Mr C. McNamara. Among those in attendance were Lady Emily, Mrs. O’Brien, Miss Barrington, Messrs. J. and McDonagh, T. Lane, J. Nolan, J. Fitzgeld, M. Hayes, C. Keogh, J. McCloney, David Condon, Garret Nagie, J. McNamara, Oliver G’Callaghan, J. Clancy, D. O’Malley, I. Costelloe, and Patrick Mulleahy.
One notable item on the agenda was a communication from Mr John Ryan, the Council’s solicitor. The letter pertained to a petition submitted by the residents of Ballinacurra concerning the installation of a sewer system in the district. The opinion expressed in the letter was that a sewer was indispensable for the effective drainage of the area. Consequently, it was deemed the Council’s responsibility to facilitate its construction. It was emphasized that failure to fulfill this obligation could lead the Local Government Board to enforce compliance. Mr J. Clancy voiced his belief that property developers constructing houses should account for sewage management.
Inquiries arose about the financial requirements for implementing the sewer project. Mr O’Malley indicated that the cost stood at £500. However, he elabourated that after a survey by the Local Government Board, the sewerage could not be directly discharged into the Ballinacurra stream without prior filtration. Thus, the acquisition of land for constructing a septic tank and related infrastructure would incur an additional expenditure of £500. In response to queries about the revenue generated from the property, Mr O’Malley reported approximately £370 in rates.
Mr T. Lane asserted that the property was an advantageous asset for the ratepayers, considering the lesser rates paid compared to what would be levied by the Corporation. An inquiry into the potential cost of the loan was answered by Mr O’Malley, who stated it would be around £55 annually. Following further deliberations, it was decided to convene a special meeting two weeks hence to delve into the matter more thoroughly.
Another correspondence, dated October 5th, arrived from the Local Government Board. The communication pertained to a tender submitted by James Mulcahy for alterations to his cottage. The Board expressed disapproval of tenants acting as contractors for work on their own dwellings. They also sought information on any other tenders received for the same work, as Mulcahy’s offer was deemed high. A separate topic of discussion involved the acceptance of a tender from John Earhart for the expansion of his cottage. Due to a Provisional Order, the Board directed the cancellation of Earhart’s tender.
Mr Condon pointed out that if Earhart could execute the expansion at a comparable cost, it would demonstrate that no contractor could achieve better results. Mrs. O’Brien posited that tenants’ direct involvement in their cottage repairs could yield superior outcomes. The matter was referred to the Engineer and Clerk for clarification. The meeting subsequently adjourned.
Limerick Echo – Tuesday 07 November 1905
