COMMUNITY funding has “disappeared” on the north side of Limerick City, according to a local Fianna Fáil TD.
Veteran politician Willie O’Dea hit out in the Dáil that an area that includes Moyross, Ballynanty, Kileely, St Mary’s Park, and King’s Island has seen massive funding cuts.
“Last November I raised with the Taoiseach the disturbing suggestion that community funding for the north side of Limerick City was about to be cut by 59 per cent,” Deputy O’Dea told the Dáil chamber.
“At the time he expressed concern and said he would ask the Minister of State to have a word with me. The Taoiseach did that and I thank him for that.
“However, when I spoke to the Minister of State, he said he could not meet the representatives of the communities affected because the decision had not yet been taken.”
The Limerick politician then blasted the Government for the decision it has taken since this meeting, claiming that “100 per cent” of funding to these disadvantaged Limerick communities had been cut.
“Instead of a 59 per cent cut, we are getting a 100 per cent cut on the north side of Limerick City. Community funding has disappeared now on the north side of Limerick City, an area that includes Moyross, Ballynanty, Kileely, St Mary’s Park and King’s Island, which are, by the government’s own statistics, some of the most deprived communities in the country, suffering from extreme deprivation.
“Could the Taoiseach instruct the Minister of State to meet representatives of those communities now that this decision has been taken? This is the worst time to withdraw this type of funding from these communities,” he declared.
In response, Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys said she would raise this matter with the Minister of State Joe O’Brien.
”I will get him to speak to the Deputy directly about the issue,” she said.
