Priest is right about city problems

THE mayor of Limerick, Cllr Joe Leddin, recently availed of the news columns of a local newspaper to chide a priest for setting out some uncomfortable truths.

I have never met Fr Joe Young, but I have been to Southill and I know people living there.

Fr Young is right: “People are being held hostage in their own homes … and urgent action is needed before anarchy breaks out”.

Fr Young was merely echoing John Fitzgerald’s report on the serious social problems in a few Limerick housing estates.

That report stated: “Fundamentally, and as a matter of high priority, early intervention is required to deal with the problem of serious criminal activity. This problem needs to be dealt with as a matter of urgency so that a stable environment is created where other initiatives can take effect. Failure to do so is likely to lead to the frustration of other efforts to address social and economic problems”.

In fact, the first recommendation of the Fitzgerald report is to “put in place intensive policing arrangements ... there needs to be a highly visible garda presence at all times in these estates in order to restore confidence and stability in the communities.

“A policing structure, headed by a superintendent, should be established that is exclusively dedicated to the policing of these areas. This will involve a minimum of 100 additional gardaí, with appropriate management structures, whose sole function will be the policing of these areas.”

I don’t think Mr Fitzgerald would have made such a recommendation if there wasn’t a real safety and security issue for people living in Southill and our other troubled estates.

There are very few people in Southill climbing the ‘property ladder’ out of there and there is nothing ‘normal’ about their reasons for leaving.

This begs the question: does the mayor support the findings of the Fitzgerald report, or does he believe that Mr Fitzgerald was being “irresponsible and potentially damaging to Limerick” — like he accused Fr Young of being?

Fr Young was a curate in Southill for 25 years.

I’ve heard he worked tirelessly for the community, founding and organising such positives initiatives as the Limerick Connections. I don’t believe that his remarks have damaged Limerick.

The truth is, he shouldn’t have had to speak out in the first place; that is what we elect politicians to do.

What is damaging to Limerick is the utter lack of political leadership on this issue.

As our first citizen, what is Mayor Leddin doing to help bring that minimum of 100 additional gardaí to Limerick and what does scolding Fr Young contribute to making Limerick a better place for all?

Unfortunately, I believe the answer to both those questions is ‘nothing’.

Cathal McCarthy

5 Weston Gardens

Rosbrien

Limerick