Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 October 2012
373. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he has provided assistance to Limerick regeneration conditional on local community participation by community representatives that live in the area due for regeneration and elected by the communities themselves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41584/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department currently supports an ambitious programme of regeneration in Limerick with projects that seek to deliver social, economic and physical regeneration with a strong community involvement in the process. Regeneration seeks to rebuild damaged communities by improving not just the physical environment in which people live but also by investing in the social and economic life of the areas. This holistic, multi-agency approach ensures that regeneration is sustainable, beyond just the initial construction phases, and generates long-term advantages. The Regeneration Process in Limerick seeks to reinvigorate and revitalise communities that have witnessed considerable neglect and breakdown over decades by acting as a catalyst for more integrated, responsive and effective public service provision and enhanced resident participation in matters that affect them. Over the past five years, a robust framework has been put in place to facilitate consultation with stakeholder groups including householders, residents’ associations, community organisations etc. on wide-ranging issues relating to the development and implementation of social and physical regeneration strategies.
Supporting Social Inclusion and Regeneration in Limerick (SSIRL) is a collaborative programme of investment in support of social objectives which aims to strengthen social inclusion practice, introduce best practice to improve the quality and impact of services and to facilitate and enable all citizens to participate in and drive regeneration and revitalisation across the city. It is co-funded by Government Departments/State Agencies, Atlantic Philanthropies and the University of Limerick. My Department will be working closely with all concerned to deliver this innovative project in Limerick. The outcome of the project will inform policy in relation to, inter alia, the most appropriate consultative arrangements to ensure the successful implementation of regeneration in Limerick.
