Community welcomes fresh opportunity

Community leaders, local residents and schoolchildren gave the regeneration plan for Limerick a major welcome yesterday.

Paddy Flannery of the Moyross Community Enterprise Centre said residents were fully behind the plan's recommendations, including radical measures relating to Garda checks on housing applicants.

"We need to create a society where people are safe and secure, where people are not intimidated in their houses. We're only asking people to live by the rules of society, and that has the support of the community in general," Mr Flannery said.

Fr Joe Young, who has been based in Southill for more than two decades, also welcomed the plan and said a major emphasis needs to be placed initially on community policing.

"This is an unprecedented opportunity for troubled areas and for other troubled estates across the country. We need to implement the first recommendation on intensive policing immediately, in order to allow other interventions to work. They can't operate against a backdrop of crime and intimidation."

Linda Scully, principal of St Munchin's Girls and Infants primary school in Ballinanty, near Moyross, said that plan was spreading hope and optimism among her students. "Now that this is happening, children are very aware of it and hopeful it will makes things better for them and give them hope they can take charge of their future and to make it better," Ms Scully said.

"Many children are from areas where there is fighting and feuding and it can cause them great upset and other traumas. They're not involved; just witnessing violence can cause great stress in a child's life. Very often they bury it and carry it within them."

Dervela Ryan (10) from Moyross said she was looking forward to the area improving.

"I think it could be a lot better. At night-time you can hear lots of shouting and roaring. We're not allowed out. I can't sleep at night when I hear it."

Dennika Ward (12) said she was most looking forward to a new park, as well as facilities for sports and dancing.

Gary Fitzpatrick (14) of St Nessan's Community College said he was looking forward to living in a new bungalow with his mother and sister. He said he didn't want to move too far away, so he could stay in contact with his friends.

"I like it here, I've a lot of friends . . . It could be improved. There are too many burnt-out houses."