THE lack of adequate capital spending on housing, health and transport for Limerick, was highlighted during the annual Appropriation Bill debate in the Seanad this week.
Limerick Sinn Féin Senator Paul Gavan said that expenditure on social housing is not where it needs to be and a glaring example of this, is the lack of housing plans for Castleconnell.
“There are 443 families and individuals on the housing list for Castleconnell yet only five social houses will be built for the area in the next five years. This is despite Limerick City and County Council identifying the need for at least 130 social housing units for the area.
“With a growing population of almost 2,500 people in Castleconnell, the lack of investment in housing has led to despair for families living in severe overcrowding or having to move out of the area away from their family support network,” he explained.
Senator Gavan also criticised the government for dropping its plans for the Northern Distributor Road.
“This vital piece of infrastructure would have opened up the north side of Limerick City and allowed ease of access to all major routes around the city and helped ease access from the north side of the city to Ennis, Shannon and Castletroy.
“Transport plans for Limerick, such as the Limerick to Cork motorway are constantly being put on hold. These road networks have been promised for many years and it’s about time the government got on with it.”
Referring to overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick Senator Gavan said there are plans for 96 additional beds but as 48 of them are replacement beds, there will be only 48 additional beds, whenever that unit is finally built.
“There continues to be a lack of adequate investment in a hospital that is severely overcrowded, understaffed and poses a significant risk to the health and welfare of people receiving care in the department.
“This government is not delivering for Limerick. We need a change of government not a change of Taoiseach and the feedback we are getting is that the people of Limerick want a general election.”
