A disservice to people living in Limerick estates

THE chief of the Limerick Regeneration Agencies should apologise for saying that all the good people have left the troubled estates in the city.

Brendan Kenny made the claim on radio, defending his agencies’ lack of action because despite over €100m being spent to date, not new one house has been built. By the chief executive claiming that all the good people have left the troubled areas, is he implying that only bad people have remained in their houses? The fact is the regeneration agencies have dispersed some troublesome families to outlying areas and by doing so have merely exported criminal behaviour into Co Limerick and Co Clare.

The estates of Limerick — and the good people living in these estates — are still subject to anti-social behaviour and the activities of drug gangs. The fact is Mr Kenny does not have much to show for €100m. How much of this was spent on public relations? How much on salaries and travel? These are the questions that the Minister for Housing and Limerick TD Jan O’Sullivan should be asking. Mr Kenny has done a disservice to the good people in these estates.