Deprivation ‘off the Richter scale’ in Moyross

A priest has said that levels of deprivation and childhood adversity in Moyross continue to be "off the Richter scale", seven years after Limerick Regeneration was launched to tackle the city's battle with serious social problems.

Limerick Regeneration was set up in 2007 to address social anarchy in four local authority housing estates after two children were engulfed in flames on September 10th, 2006, as they sat in a car that was petrol bombed by a group of teenagers who were angry the children’s mother had earlier refused to give them a lift to court.

In Moyross, where the horrific attack took place, parish priest Fr Tony O’Riordan said while physical regeneration of the estate is “slowly” emerging, the proposed picture of social regeneration is barely visible.

Three billion euro in funding was promised by the former Fianna Fáil led government. This has now been cut to just under €300m.

In a damning criticism of Regeneration, Fr O’Riordan said: “We need to be addressing the problems that exist still, that led to the establishment of the special focus on four estates in Limerick. I think the focus has gone off - that these four estates have social problems, and levels of deprivation, and childhood adversity that are off the Richter scale, and that’s why those four areas need a special focus by government.”

“The Regeneration project is under the direction of the Department of the Environment, and they have been left holding the can, and I suspect they have no expertise on how you help people who are traumatised; who experience educational failure; who are experiencing domestic violence; who are experiencing addiction; who have mental health issues,” he added.

“We are at a place of very slow progress of physical regeneration. We are at a very confused and diluted phase of social regeneration, and I am not at all sure if we are any where in relation to economic regeneration.”

He praised the “Companions”, project, funded by Regeneration, which involves two trained staff supported by volunteers, who call on vulnerable people and give them advice on what services are available to them on health and finance.

He also said Regeneration funded teaching resources had helped transform poor literacy and numeracy levels in schools in Moyross to levels “at and above the national average.”

Head of Regeneration, Caroline Curley said: “The issues that arose (in the estates) didn’t start in a day or a week. They are complex issues that have been going on over (a long) time.”

Ms Curley explained there are currently 139 funded projects operating across Limerick to help those living in disadvantaged estates: “Hopefully it will have an impact at the end of the day, in changing people’s attitudes and changing people’s behaviours, which will (then) improve the quality of life not just for the people participating, but for other people living in the estates.”

She admitted planning and economic policy has slowed up delivering specific objectives but that she believed “a difference is already happening”.

“Is it happening at a speed people wish, no. But, that’s a lack of understanding of what the various jumps you have to go through to deliver (the project),” Ms Curley said.