This article is from page 22 of the 2009-10-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 22 JPG
TROUBLEMAKERS from Limerick are not welcome in Shannon — that’s the overwhelming message delivered by town councillors.
The issue was raised at a meeting of Shannon Town Council last week, where Councillor Gerry Flynn (In- dependent), called for the council to condemn the decision by the county council to participate in the regional aLOLeRSbaveanie eel Ko ate
He made reference to a debate a year ago. During that debate, Shan- non town councillors voted to have no hand, act or part in any decision to
move undesirable people to the town, after concern was expressed about an upsurge in anti-social behaviour in the area.
“We got a fair old roasting when we said we wanted no hand, act or part in the regeneration programme,’ said Cllr Flynn.
“In Shannon alone we have 495 on the housing list and not too far off 2,000 in the county. I don’t think we should be expected to deal with problems in the neighbouring coun- ty,’ he said.
““€’750,000 has been made available to buy dwellings in County Clare, for people from the regeneration areas.
I didn’t support it then (last year). I don’t support it now,” he said.
Labour councillor Tony McMahon said that those on the social hous- ing waiting list in Shannon should be given priority in the event of any houses becoming available.
‘We have had experience in Shan- non of tenants coming out from the Limerick area. The havoc they have wreaked in Shannon was absolutely frightening. We have all been fright- ened of what happened in the past. I’d rather if they bypassed Shannon and found accommodation in the area where they come from,” he said.
His party colleague Greg Duff said
he would not get involved in gener- alisation or scapegoating the people of Limerick.
Fine Gael councillor Tony Mulcahy said that in the past, Clare County Council sold 17 houses and the elect- ed members had nothing to do with i
“I’d prefer a scenario where we have some control. Twelve months ago we didn’t have any control,” he reiterated..
Shannon Town Manager Bernadette Kinsella said that the €750,000 was ring-fenced. “We can’t use it for any other purpose. We can only use it to rehouse families from the Limerick
regeneration area.
“Limerick City Council purchased 17 houses in Clare. We weren’t con- sulted in any way. There isn’t large scale interest at this stage from fami- lies from the regeneration areas mov- ing to Clare,” she said.
Three families, she said, had ex- pressed interest by the middle of the year, but one of those since changed its position.
Asked by the mayor of Shannon, Councillor Sean McLoughlin was there interest in Shannon, she said, “We are not looking at acquiring the three or four houses in the Shannon area.”