Limerick jobs blackspot to get €16m boost

ONE of Limerick's unemployment blackspots will get a major cash boost of €16 million today for a new housing development and community centre, the Minister for Housing Noel Ahern confirmed last night.

Mr Ahern will travel to Limerick to announce the investment in Southill's O'Malley Park. The Government is pledging €15m toward phase two of the housing regeneration of Southill. The proposed development is currently undergoing a public consultation process.

And Mr Ahern will also announce that the Department of the Environment will give €1m towards the building of a new community centre in Southill.

The overall refurbishment of the 600 houses in Southill is a long-term project that is estimated will cost around €80m.

Phase one, which included the refurbishment of 60 houses, has already been completed.

It is proposed that phase two will:

Refurbish 80 houses and carry out extensive landscaping.

Build 23 new houses.

Demolish 27 houses.

Mr Ahern will try to secure final agreement from the local people today on how phase two should proceed.

"The Government does not want to foist anything on the local people - this plan will only work if there is agreement, but I will be saying that if they can give me an agreed proposal I can get it into next year's estimates," Mr Ahern added.

The Southill housing plan is on a shortlist of the Department's regeneration projects and the funding is in place.

As Junior Minister at the Department of the Environment, Mr Ahern will also be announcing that they will provide substantial funding for a proposed new community centre in Southill. The Minister for Sports, John O'Donoghue, has already pledged €1m to the project and Mr Ahern will be announcing that this money will be matched by the Department of the Environment to allow the building to be completed.

"The aim of this centre is to strengthen the community spirit in Southill and allow local people claim ownership of it again," the minister added.

As Junior Minister with responsibility also for drugs, Mr Ahern will also be attending a public meeting on the National Drugs Strategy in Limerick which is part of its mid-term review.

The new Minister for Defence, Willie O'Dea, last night welcomed the funding and said it was helping to empower local people.