We live in a country that has more private golf courses than children's playgrounds; this is a reflection of the society that was created during the 'boom' years.

The so-called 'Celtic Tiger' was a wild animal that inspired a culture of greed, which has permeated every level of society.

Those who engage in serious criminal and anti-social behaviour are at the bottom. At the top, we have: politicians, greedy developers, speculators and bankers, all engaged in anti-Community and anti-Family behaviour. They have enslaved young couples and Families into paying for houses that were overvalued and require two wages to cover the mortgage.

Our City's reputation has been continuously damaged by 'watershed' after 'watershed' and on top of all our problems we now have to contend with job losses of an unprecedented scale.

Our Council is corrupt; it is under resourced and failing to serve the needs of our Communities. It is being micro-managed by central government and our Councillors are not speaking out, especially when it comes to regeneration and the developer's agenda it promotes.

This City is the sum of all its parts and the regeneration of our troubled estates should not be done to the detriment of our more settled areas and county suburbs. Displacing people is not a realistic solution. We need to tackle the problems head on.

We were promised a dedicated Garda Service for the regeneration areas in the Fitzgerald Report. This never happened. Instead, our politicians began counting Gardaí as they came into the Limerick Division without any regard as to how they were deployed. The Limerick Division covers the City, the County and parts of Co. Clare.

Meanwhile, law-abiding residents in the regeneration areas are left defenceless. Anti-social behaviour and illegal dumping are rife. Without the promised "highly visible Garda presence at all times" to deter such activities and restore "confidence and stability", decent people are 'choosing' to leave and forfeit their right to a new house in the newly regenerated area.

Limerick City Council, with instructions and funding from Dublin, is implementing this depopulation process in order to clear the land for developers while our Councillors remain silent.

Homeowners, most of whom are elderly, are being bought out for a pittance and turned back into tenants. They are getting the 'market rate' we are told.

Is this how we treat our most vulnerable residents; allowing their areas to be deliberately run down, leaving them defenceless and then cheating them out of their property rights? Is this the kind of society you want to live in?

In its haste to depopulate, Limerick City Council has also displaced some troubled or 'at risk' Families, denying them the opportunity of social regeneration and leaving other Communities to endure their dysfunctional behaviour.

Such is the impact of this displacement that we now have Communities in our county suburbs calling for their own dedicated Garda service.

Now more than ever, we need to strengthen our Communities if we are to survive the global economic depression. The current model of regeneration is not sustainable. It never was to begin with. It is dependent on the sale of private houses and apartments to fund the social & affordable housing and Community facilities. Given that we are faced with massive job losses, who will be able to afford to buy these over-priced houses and apartments?

Our government, with its banker and developer pals, is hoping that the property market will 'recover' in the next three years and our false economy can be re-inflated. Depopulation is the order of the day.
This culture of greed needs to be challenged. We need a regeneration centred on Community needs. We need our Council to work for Communities and Families, not developers and bankers. Our City needs to be more than just a nice place to look at or visit; it needs to be a great place to live and raise a Family.

There will be many promises made during this election. If I were to promise you that once elected I could rid the City of crime, bring economic stability and that we'd all live happily ever after, I would be lying. Change does not come easy; it takes hard work and commitment.

I can promise you to work hard and commit myself full-time to making your voice heard in Limerick City Council. I have not been, and I will not be silent.
This year is the 90th Anniversary of the Limerick Soviet, when the people of Limerick challenged the might of an Empire and ran this City for the common good. Ninety years on, and it is time to make our voices heard again.
Think long and hard about who you are going to vote for - you can change this City for the better. You have the power. I'm calling on you to take to the polling station and vote!

Make June 5th Limerick's Independents Day!

Together, we can work to take back this City for Communities, take back this City for Families and take back this City for law-abiding Residents.

- Cathal McCarthy
Independent Community Candidate

On June 5th, Vote No.1 Cathal McCarthty