Fitzgerald report: Reaction
There has been a generally positive reaction to the proposals laid out by the Fitzgerald report on anti-social behaviour and social inclusion in the areas of Moyross and Southill.
Describing the recommendation to demolish hundreds of houses contained within the report as proof of abject failure by both council and state, Sinn Féin candidate Maurice Quinlivan, welcomed the proposals.
“This report is a welcome first step in tackling the problems afflicting this city. I hope the government has the commitment and courage to act on the proposals immediately. Having recently met with Mr. Fitzgerald I am very happy that he seems to have taken on board many of the points Sinn Fein have been raising over the last number of years with regard to improvements to local infrastructure, environment and employment opportunities in the
Moyross, Keyes Park and Southill areas.”
Although he had less than kind words for officials and local politicians at Limerick City Council.
“How has the situation in our public housing estates been allowed to deteriorate to such an extent that mass demolition is now the only way forward. Will the council officials and politicians who have overseen this social disaster be brought to account? We are talking about a total abdication of responsibility on the part of a range of public bodies-including Limerick City Council, our local politicians and law enforcement – over several years.
Pointing out that the cost to the City of providing a council house is at least €250,000. Quinlivan goes on to ask “how much public money has been wasted through years of failure now that nearly 1,000 houses need to be demolished. This is literally hundreds of millions of Euro not to mention the human story behind each and every one of those 1,000 homes. Will anyone actually be held accountable for this?“
“The people of Limerick should remember the huge cost of this failure when politicians come knocking at their doors in the coming weeks. They should remember the thousands of local residents who have been abandoned by their local authority and left to live in fear of their lives. Sinn Fein will ensure this is a major issue in the upcoming election�
“The situation in Moyross, and Southill did not come about by accident, It came about because of willful failure of the city council to engage with the problems affecting working class communities. The bottom line is that for years nobody in the Limerick political establishment gave a damn about what was happening in these communities-that’s why we have reached a point where hundreds of publicly built houses now need to be demolished.�
Councillor John Gilligan told Limerick Live95FM that the price tag of €200m was not too much to spend on this rejuvenation proposal.
Local residents who also spoke to the local radio station reacted positively to the report, with special emphasis on a desire to see drug pushers in the area given the boot.