ONE OF the country’s biggest local authorities has been criticised for spending €110,000 on roadside art in the current economic climate.
Cllr Patrick O’Donovan is calling on his council colleagues to block the move by Limerick County Council to seek tenders for a scheme with a commission value of €110,000.
The local authority has invited artists to submit their ideas for permanent outdoor artworks on the M7 Limerick to Nenagh road and the N7 Limerick Tunnel project.
Mr O’Donovan, who believes there are better ways to spend the money, has written to his council colleagues to support his efforts to stop the council from spending the money on roadside art. “I know the money is budgeted for and I know it’s part of these projects, but I just think at the moment it’s sending out all the wrong signals to be putting €110,000 into roadside art at a time when some basic works that need to be carried out on roads can’t be done,” said Mr O’Donovan.
“It’s not the €110,000 that I have the biggest difficulty with, it’s the principle of the thing. I think there are more important places that the National Roads Authority and the Department of Transport could be putting this money into other than artwork.
“There are huge road safety issues that are not being addressed, like people looking for pedestrian crossings, crash barriers and improved signage, even on some of the newer built road the verges are not being cut,” he continued. According to Mr O’Donovan when tenders arrive for the project an elected member of council must be present before the tenders can be opened.
“If we, the 28 elected members, stand together against this road art project, the tenders will remain unopened and that will be an end to this,” he said.
According to Paul Crowe, the head of transport and water services for the council, the money can only be used for artwork.
“The money [for these projects] is specifically provided for that purpose and cannot be redirected by ourselves to any other programme. In that context, we either use it or lose it,” explained Mr Crowe.
“It’s always been our policy in the region to maximise the expenditure available for Limerick County and the region, and in this capacity we are acting in a regional capacity. There are other authorities involved in both of those projects.
“I can appreciate that certain people might have a view that it could be considered wasteful, but there are others who feel these projects have a merit and they will provide a commission for an artist, and that provides an employment for an artist and that is a worthwhile exercise,” he said.
According to Limerick County Council’s website, artists are invited to submit CVs and images for consideration to be placed on a shortlist for the project.
The value of the commission is €110,000 and up to five artists will be shortlisted and invited to make detailed proposals and prepare budgets for the commission.