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Government must stop playing games with people's lives in Limerick

Issued : Monday 8 February, 2010

There is a mounting level of anger throughout Limerick at the Government's failure to deliver on its fine promises to implement key aspects of the regeneration programme for estates in Limerick City.

Less than two weeks ago the Chairman of the Mid-West Task Force felt compelled to come out publicly with the information that not one of their 20 recommendations had been implemented. Now senior Minister Willie O'Dea admits to a national paper what they haven't had to guts to say directly to the people of Limerick, that funding for Regeneration will not be delivered.

How can our local Government Ministers expect people in Limerick to have any faith or confidence in their ability to deliver for this City when they see no signals from Government that Limerick is being treated as a priority for investment?

The planned regeneration of housing estates if funded would provide a massive stimulus for the local economy through construction activity and much needed jobs. People are fed up of listening to inaccurate half-baked promises from our local Ministers and instead want some form of definitive action and commitment from Government.

Making fine promises that will never be fulfilled, is playing with people's lives. The problem with Minister O'Dea's ' Bob the builder' friends is that even if they wanted to build these planned houses, they cannot get the necessary finance from the banks. There was huge hope invested in the regeneration plans by hundreds of families and they are entitled to honesty and straight talking by Government.

Why did the Cabinet endorse the masterplan for regenerating parts of Limerick if they are not going to step up to the mark and commit the necessary funding to enable physical activity to take place in these areas which in itself will give a tremendous boost of confidence to local communities.

It is becoming abundantly clear with each passing day that unfortunately the people of Limerick and indeed the greater Midwest Region are simply not being represented by our local Government public representatives who don't have the back bone to stand up for the people who elected them.