Limerick renewal plan to begin

THE FIRST phase of the Government’s revised plan to regenerate Limerick’s most deprived estates will get under way this summer, Taoiseach Brian Cowen has said.

Mr Cowen said the scheme would incorporate 26 new regeneration projects worth €337 million when he spoke at Government Buildings yesterday with Minister of State for Housing Michael Finneran.

“I believe that this is a recoverable investment by Government, by the taxpayer, to deal with the blighted lives and reduced potential of the areas concerned as a result of failure to plan properly in the past,” Mr Cowen said.

The Taoiseach described the plan as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to address the problems identified by chairman of the Limerick regeneration agencies John Fitzgerald. The Government had given “political endorsement” to the regeneration programme.

“I consider the regeneration initiative in Limerick to be of the utmost importance, both for the communities and families living in the city, but also as a demonstration of this Government’s ability to deliver complex projects across the whole of the public sector,” Mr Cowen said.

He said that a group would report back to him in the autumn with ways to encourage private sector investment.

Mr Finneran said the projects would benefit the people of areas such as Moyross, Southill, Ballinacurra Weston and St Mary’s Park.

“The approval of these projects shows that this Government has listened to their problems, we have heard them, and are delivering on our commitment to work with them to rebuild their communities,” Mr Finneran said.

The Minister of State said he was committed to providing over 850 new and refurbished social housing units at a total cost of €160 million over the next 4½ years. He said he was confident of seeing a renewal of owner-occupied homes and of private housing investment.

“Regeneration is not just about bricks and mortar,” he said. The plan would rebuild communities “from the ground up”.

Meanwhile, the Government has agreed to provide a €5 million fund in each of the next five years “to deliver enhanced public services to protect the social fabric of these communities”. In April, The Irish Times reported Mr Fitzgerald’s warning that weaknesses in local government in the Limerick region could derail the scheme.

Labour TD for Limerick East Jan O’Sullivan welcomed yesterday’s announcement, saying local communities were anxious for the schemes to get under way.