I thank you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, for affording me the opportunity to raise this issue in the House this evening. I want to impress upon the Minister and the Government the unique position of Rathkeale in County Limerick. Rathkeale is a unique case because of the special circumstances which prevail there. Almost 45 per cent of the town's population are travellers, and the two cultures live in relative harmony in the town albeit with some tensions. The special circumstances make it important that the town should be considered for the urban renewal scheme. Many of the commercial premises and some of the residential premises in the centre of the town have been withdrawn from commercial or residential use. This is because the traders in the travelling community have purchased these premises and turned them into stores for furniture. Most of the traders are in the furniture business.
It is important to restore the centre of the town to commercial activity. The extension of the urban renewal scheme will provide an incentive to do this and will attract business back into the town. The decline in the physical fabric of the main street of Rathkeale is a serious problem. The inner core of the town is decaying with many of the buildings being derelict, dilapidated, unoccupied and disused. The blight of decay which has strangled the physical, social and economic life of the town must be stopped. People must be enticed to live in the town. The potential of the town to attract private investment and development is depressed because of its physical environment. There is little interest on the part of many owners of properties to undertake development of the buildings.
The designation of the main street in Rathkeale for the purposes of urban renewal will lead to a significant private sector investment in such properties and significantly contribute to the improvement of the town. The Rathkeale Enterprise Committee is unable to address the problem of dereliction alone. The increasing problem of dereliction and dilapidation on Rathkeale's main street was highlighted by a survey undertaken by the committee. Of every ten buildings on the main street, four are derelict, dilapidated, unoccupied or disused. Such buildings are often boarded up.
The population of Rathkeale has declined in recent years contributing to the spread of dereliction and decline. In 1991, there were 1,803 people living in Rathkeale and in 1996 the population was 1,546, yet the population of neighbouring towns has increased dramatically. Two-thirds of the people living in the main street are elderly and they do not have children who are likely to continue living there. The main street is an area which needs to be designated. The widespread dereliction, decline and disuse of the buildings must be addressed by tax designation.
For many years a market for second-hand property has not existed because of the number of neighbouring derelict buildings. No new residential development has taken place in Rathkeale. An alarming number of businesses in the town have closed. Such a loss of economic activity is directly related to the decline in population.
In compiling a strategic plan for the main street, the development committee consulted Limerick County Council for ideas to tackle the decline. The county council wholly endorsed the promotion of the urban renewal scheme in Rathkeale. The enactment of the Derelict Sites Act, 1990, to prevent property becoming derelict and detracting from the amenity, character or appearance of areas has proved difficult for Limerick County Council to implement.
In the case of Rathkeale's main street, buildings continue to be neglected and are unsightly. Urban improvement measures, whether promoted by the county council, initiated by community organisations or provided by private enterprise, were implemented in recent years and improved the physical appearance of the town. Such improvements are overshadowed by a number of derelict properties which, until removed, will make it impossible to achieve the objective of improving the physical environment of the town, attracting people to live in it and sustaining new enterprise.
The experience of other designated areas underlines the interest of many people, particularly young people, in buying town houses or apartments in urban areas and bringing life back into such centres. Elderly people also prefer to live in towns given their proximity to services. The activity generated by an urban renewal scheme would halt the worsening process of decay and dereliction and would change the face of the town. The result of such development would be to improve the amenities for the existing population and attract significant numbers of young people to live in the town.
The enterprise committee recognises the strong focus of the urban renewal scheme on residential development relying on measures to conserve and use existing infrastructure. Rathkeale needs social and economic rejuvenation. Tax designation will encourage people to move back into the town and revitalise the community. A successful town is associated with a growing population. Many people are ready and willing to make the necessary investment if tax designation is granted. Many locals have invested money elsewhere in recent years. The risk in investing in property elsewhere is significantly lower and the likelihood of appreciation in the value of properties is higher in other towns. The designation of the main street and, in particular, residential allowances will bring new life into the town.
The survey carried out by the group indicated there are 56 derelict, dilapidated, unoccupied or disused houses on the main street, more than 39 per cent of the total. Only 27 houses are residential, 13 are residential and business and 16 business alone. Twenty of the houses have only one occupant, 22 have two and three have two or more occupants. Occupants of 38 of the 42 residences consist of people living alone or two people living together who are more than 50 years of age.
We must bring down the barriers to development. Fifty-six properties in the main street are derelict. Property values in the town are plummeting and there is genuine economic decline. In the past 20 years, 64 businesses have disappeared from the main street and have not been replaced. There is a decreasing population and increasing employment and we must break this vicious circle of decline. I ask the Minister and the Government to acknowledge the urgency in designating the centre of Rathkeale for urban renewal.