The City edition of the Limerick leader has revealed the nine recommendations set out by former Dublin City Manager John Fitzgerald which it is hope will alleviate the problems of crime, anti-social behaviour and social inclusion in some of the city’s most troubled housing estates.
It may not go down well with some though, as there will be people in Southill facing the prospect of their homes becoming the subject of compulsory purchase orders should the recommendations are approved by the Government next week.
Here is a brief summary of what is being proposed:
Put in place intensive policing arrangements
In order for other interventions to work, Mr. Fitzgerald feels that there should be concentrated policing efforts in the troubled areas of Moyross and Southill. His report recommends that 100 extra Gardai be put in place to deal with these areas.
It is also proposed that there should be a CAB division based in Limerick to deal with organised criminals. It is envisaged in the report that the “normalisation” of these areas would involve a five year policing programme.
With the tackling of organised criminals by gardai and the regeneration of housing estates, as well as Limerick City Council using all it’s powers to deal with anti-social tennants, it is hoped that the concentration of criminals in these areas would be reduced.
There is a cautionary note however, Mr. Fitzgerald warned that the problems in these estates must not be simply displaced to other areas.
Comment: Fitzgerald will have his work cut out for him if he thinks he can get 100 extra Gardai in Limerick. Who would babysit the Shell facility in Mayo for the Government, as this is the most likely place from which the Government could redeploy these guards from.
Establish structures for regeneration
As part of this recommendation, it is proposed that two agencies be set up to co-ordinate the different state bodies and local authorities so that the wholesale redevelopment of estates in the city can be done more efficiently. One agency would deal with Moyross while the other would deal with Southill.
There is a possibility that the Northern City Rejuvenation agency could take in the area of St. Mary’s Park as well as Moyross, while the Southern agency could take in Ballinacurra Weston.
Mr. Fitzgerald believes that these agencies could be set up quickly using existing corporate bodies legislation.
Comment:At first, Ballinacurra Weston was not included in proposals, but it is good to see that it has now been taken into consideration. In all lightlyhood, those involved in crime in Southill would have connections to people in Weston. If weston was not included in this project, the result would simply be moving Southill’s problems into Weston.
Establish dedicated teams under the auspices of the Development agencies to address social and family problems in the designated areas, including educational disadvantage.
It is proposed in the report that both of the Development agencies would have a team of people who would deal with problems associated with things such as school truancy, and help with families who are having problems. Their role would also be to work with local schools to organise after school services for children as well as activities during the summer holidays.
The teams would be lead by a Key member of staff and would also include an Education Welfare Officer, a family support worker, a representative of the local drugs task force and of the Health Service Executive, a community development worker and a community Garda.
It is hoped that this team will liaise with local sports clubs to develop activities for the young. Schools will also have a role in helping the teams to create after school and in school initiatives to combat the likes of truancy
Comment: While we are on the subject of Education, isn’t it high time that these areas had a secondary school nearer to their locality?
This would have the added bonus of reducing, or even ilimating the number of people who have to wait a year after they leave primary school in order to get a place in a secondary school in Limerick. A youngfella can get up to alot in the space of a year when he becomes bored.
As for after school activities, it should be made easier for existing initiatives to seek funding.
Suggesting that existing state agencies co-operate with each other on these teams is a good thing, as it stands the fact that one state body doesn’t know what the other state body is doing can lead to confusion when someone is applying for state services.
Improve access and infrastructure
The report recommends that the proposed road linking the N7 to the Coonagh Roundabout should be given priority, in particular the portion of the road from the Coonagh roundabout to the Moyross interchange.
It is believed that access to such a road would encourage investment in the area.
Proper transport links to other parts of the city are also suggested.
Comment: The same could be said on the south side of the city. At present there are plans to cut off access to the Roxboro exit of the southern ring road. This must go back to the drawing board or else Southill will have the same access problems that Moyross has now.
Also it is important that CCTV cameras be installed on all buses so that should attacks on them take place, those responsible can be identified and prosecuted.
Attract inward investment
In order for any redevelopment plans to be effective on the northside of the city, Mr. Fitzgerald believes that one local authority should be responsible for it. In his report, he is recommending that the city boundary should be extended as far as the Clare boundary, thus putting all of Moyross in the juristiction of Limerick City Council.
It would also be the job of the local development agencies to “sell” their respective areas to potential businesses thinking of investing in these areas.
Comment: I can see this causing problems for City Council in their efforts to get a boundary extension on the south side of the city in the future. The department of the Environment are fudging the boundary extension idea already, with an extension into Moyross, they will be able to say “You got your boundary extension, fow f**k off.”
It is recommended in the report that the department of Finance and Local Government create incentives to encourage private investors to develop on lands in Moyross and Southill.
The existing programmes such as the Shannon Limerick Gateway initiative could be charged with making this happen.
I can’t really add to that, only that it is about time that someone suggested it. But regeneration on this scale will involve the demolition of people’s houses in the area, some of which are owner-occupied. Resistance to things like compulsary purchase orders could cause delays in this area.
Develop the Region
Because the amount of land availible to Limerick City Council for social housing is limited, it is proposed in the report that adjoining local authorities work together to create an organised development plan as opposed to the fragmented one in place now.
Mr. Fitzgerald believes that co-operation between local authorities in the region is essential for the Shannon Limerick Gateway project to work, which will only work if there is a working Limerick City Centre.
Comment: To see the state of affairs now you only have to take a look at the “bus lane to nowhere” in Raheen. Limerick County Council built this bus corridor before Limerick City Council were in a position to finish it. Now it stops at a dead end at Crescent shopping centre. Another bus lane to nowhere is planned for the Ennis Road.
Address drugs problems
A local focus group to deal with the “acute” drugs problems in Limerick City is recommended by Mr. Fitzgerald. It is hoped that that this focus group would assist the Development agencies in providing prevention and education programmes on drugs.
Regenerate the housing stock
It is proposed by the report that monies used to restore houses in O’Malley Park and Moyross be redirected to redevelopment instead. because it costs more or less the same to rebuild a house as it does to restore it, the initiative would be “cost neutral.
In total, the number of houses which would need to be demolished in Moyross and Southill is in excess of 1,000.
The areas would then be redeveloped to include mixed uses including private homes, social housing, and commercial areas.
Comment: There are three pproblems which will arise out of this. Those that own their homes in these areas will be subjected to compulsory purchase orders. Those that may not want to leave or are not satisfied with the price they are being offered for their homes will cause delays in this project. These people will have to get a satisfactory price so they can buy new homes. Another problem I see is organised criminals cashing in on houses they own in these areas but are renting them out. It would be an idea to have the Criminal Assets Bureau audit the houses to ensure they were not purchased through ill-gotten gains and seize them if they were. That way there would be no windfall for these criminals.
I could also see these criminals obstructing compulsory purchase orders on these homes if they want things to stay the way they are in these estates. This is another reason why the CAB should try to take these houses away from them.
