McAleese to launch €700m plan for Limerick

PRESIDENT Mary McAleese has accepted an invitation to launch Limerick’s €700 million regeneration plan later this month.

The draft plan, to be unveiled on January 21, will propose two new towns on the north and south side of the city to replace sprawling vandalised council estates in Moyross, Southill and Ballinacurra Weston.

Many of the 1,100 houses in Moyross, and 1,300 in Southill and Ballinacurra Weston, will be demolished to make way for the new towns which will embrace a balanced mix of social and private housing.

A first detailed document on the proposed developments will be published by June 30.

President McAleese will launch the outline plan which has been drawn up by two regeneration boards following detailed talks with residents, local and national agencies.

Brendan Kenny, chief executive of the regeneration boards, said yesterday it was envisaged work on the construction of the new towns will get under way early in 2009.

He said: “We feel it will take between three and five years to complete the construction of the new towns.”

Already scores of houses in Moyross and Southill have been demolished as part of the huge site clearance.

Mr Kenny said the new towns will be developed with all necessary infrastructures.

Two Garda stations will be built, he said, to replace Mayorstone Garda station on the north side and Roxboro Road station on the south side.

He said both Garda stations currently suffer from a huge shortage of office space.

Mr Kenny said talks will continue with the Garda authorities about the new arrangements needed to be put in place to police the two planned new towns.

Up to 100 extra gardaí have been promised for the two areas under the John Fitzgerald Report which was commissioned by the government to tackle social deprivation in Limerick city.

Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy said on a recent visit to Limerick that 60 of the additional gardaí have already been deployed.

Mr Kenny said they would ensure that residents who wish to remain on will be given that option under the new plan.

He said they would be encouraging all residents in the new towns to enter purchase agreements for the new housing which will be provided.