Council to buy homes in trouble estates

LIMERICK City Council may have to spend three quarters of a million euro next year to buy houses in three trouble estates to prevent them falling into the hands of criminal gangs.

Dozens of homes have been snapped up by the city’s feuding gangs in St Mary’s Park, Moyross and Southill.

A proposal before the city council will allow the local authority to buy the 20 houses that become available in these estates annually.

The homes will then be rented to people seeking housing.

“These areas are full of good, hard-working people but the city council has been inflexible in helping good people move into places like St Mary’s Park,” city councillor John Gilligan said.

“It’s our job to make sure that these houses under our control are occupied by decent people, not scumbags.”

The move comes after a crime gang from the south side of the city has begun buying houses in Moyross.

However, several people want to get out of areas such as St Mary’s Park including the parents of Limerick murder victim Eric Leamy, 19.

Anthony and Geraldine Leamy are moving from St Munchin’s Street, in the area known as the Island Field, to the city centre.

Meanwhile, Gardaí in Clare are investigating an attempt to petrol-bomb a house in the west of the county on Friday.

The incident occurred late on Friday night at a house on Stewart Street, Kilrush.

However, the bomb failed to ignite.