One of the most important community development and physical refurbishment programmes undertaken by the State was launched in Limerick yesterday by President Mary McAleese. A successful outcome will have a profound effect not just on the lives and future prospects of the decent people of Moyross and Southill, who have endured decades of official neglect, but on other urban areas. The project deserves a fair wind. It is important that President McAleese has given it her imprimatur.
Building and refurbishing an estimated 2,000 homes, from early next year, will be the easy part. Of course it will be hugely symbolic in terms of a public display of the Government's willingness to invest in communities experiencing extreme social problems. But, the overall project could fail in the absence of a co-ordinated approach to the provision of health, education, employment, social welfare, estate management and policing services.
Limerick, with its neglected communities and family-based gangs, presents a tremendous challenge. It also offers an exciting opportunity in the restructuring of social and community-based facilities. It challenges State and voluntary agencies to combine and improve their services to meet demand in an early and effective manner. So far, the response has been positive. But it will take local dedication, generous funding and political commitment at national level to make it work.
The situation is serious. Parts of these sprawling estates had become virtual "no-go areas" for the Garda Síochána; intimidation, drug-dealing and gang warfare were endemic; anti-social behaviour was rife and law-abiding local people did not feel safe in their own homes. Eighteen months ago, former Dublin city manager John Fitzgerald recommended a three-pronged approach to these problems involving intensive policing, economic and infrastructural regeneration and a co-ordinated response to social and educational disadvantage. Since then, additional gardaí have been deployed; plans for development and refurbishment of the estates have been laid and local communities have been consulted.
The situation has raised questions about how the anti-social and criminal elements in these estates should be treated. Law-abiding residents demand that they be excluded. But what should be done with such people who could be equally disruptive elsewhere? At a more fundamental level, can welfare payments be made conditional on reasonable and lawful behaviour? Should benefit be withheld from those parents who don't send their children to school? These are challenging problems which will require legislation.
Building new homes and modern town centres is a key statement of intent. A further allocation of gardaí will be necessary. But the greatest challenge lies in the provision and integration of a range of educational, psychological, special needs, health and employment services only patchily available elsewhere. If that can be achieved in Limerick, we will all benefit.