Limerick’s climate plan ‘needs to go further’, as Shannon River flood threat intensifies
Limerick is being hit by the apparently contradictory impacts of climate change, with flooding in winter and drought in summer.
Parts of Castleconnell and King’s Island are bracing for more frequent winter floods while rural areas struggle with summer water shortages – a reality that shows the scale of climate pressure already facing the county.
Uisce Éireann plans to abstract water from the Shannon at the Parteen Basin in Co Tipperary. The €6bn project would pipe water 170km underground to the Greater Dublin Area.
But Green Party councillor Seán Hartigan says that Uisce Éireann is failing to address local water shortages, and warns that falling river levels will hit local ecosystems.
How your county is weighing in on fighting climate change
“Water shortages during summer are also likely to impact the ability of salmon to migrate up our rivers,” Mr Hartigan said. “High water temperatures will have a devastating impact on the ecology of rivers, particularly on salmon and trout.”
Flood relief work is progressing in Castleconnell and King’s Island, but Mr Hartigan said residents remain worried: “Residents are deeply anxious about recurring floods. While measures like flood defences at Castleconnell and King’s Island are under way, progress feels slow compared to the pace of climate impacts.
“We need faster implementation and more nature-based solutions.”
The councillor’s concerns relate to Limerick City and County Council’s Climate Action Plan, which aims to support Ireland’s targets of a 51pc emissions reduction by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050.
The action plan focuses on turning Limerick into “a green city region on the Shannon estuary” through expanded public transport, retrofitting, low-carbon development and other measures.
“The plan is a positive step, but given the urgency of climate change, I believe we need to go further, particularly in accelerating renewable energy deployment and reducing transport emissions,” Mr Hartigan said.
“Stronger interim targets and clearer accountability would help ensure momentum.”
The action plan states that Co Limerick emitted 4.36 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2018, driven by industrial processes (41pc), agriculture (25pc) and transport (11pc).
Local authorities account for roughly 11pc of public-sector climate emissions, according to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), and Limerick must cut a further 195 tonnes of CO2 from its operations by 2030.
Council offices are in urgent need of upgrading
Mr Hartigan said the council needs to move quickly on its own changes: “Transitioning to electric vehicles and delivery of charging infrastructure should be prioritised. Council offices are in urgent need of upgrading.”
Retrofitting council buildings is a major focus of the plan, with upgrades underway at the council’s Merchant’s Quay and Dooradoyle offices, and at several fire stations.
Housing retrofits are also part of the plan. The council aims to upgrade 5,250 social housing units to at least a B2 BER rating, though their ambition is to bring the entirety of Limerick’s social housing stock up to an A3 rating by 2029.
“Funding and contractor availability are significant hurdles [to this], but tenant engagement is equally important,” Mr Hartigan said.
“At the moment the council tries to get the best value for money by concentrating on rows of houses that are all council owned.
“Many estates contain a mix of privately-owned and council-owned properties, so this can prove difficult. Private tenants need to be funded to upgrade their homes at the same time as their neighbouring council owned properties are getting upgraded.”
Political will and funding need to match the scale of the challenge
Transport emissions remain one of Limerick’s toughest challenges. The council’s action plan proposes expanded bus services, safer cycling networks and the development of 15-minute neighbourhoods to reduce car dependency.
But Mr Hartigan said the county lacks the infrastructure needed to drive the change: “Without reliable, frequent public transport and safe cycling networks, people simply don’t have viable alternatives to private cars.
“Political will and funding need to match the scale of the challenge.
“Transport remains the most pressing challenge. Shifting away from car dependency will require systemic changes in planning, infrastructure and public transport investment.”
He said the planned BusConnects programme is essential: “The Limerick BusConnects project needs to be delivered on time [2027].
“It will result in a 70pc increase in the amount of bus services in Limerick city and its suburbs, and the extension of bus services to new areas with more routes with frequent services.”
He also warned that “resistance” from councillors is delaying the delivery of much-needed cycling infrastructure.
The council’s plan identifies offshore wind, solar energy and district heating as key opportunities for decarbonisation in the city and county.
Mr Hartigan strongly supports scaling up renewable production: “Offshore wind in the Shannon estuary is the standout opportunity, given our location and resources.
“Coupled with green hydrogen production, this could position Limerick as a leader in clean energy. Solar and community energy projects should also be scaled up.”
Despite the mounting pressures, Mr Hartigan said “seeing communities embrace renewable energy, active travel and nature restoration gives me hope.
“We’re proving that change is possible when people work together.”