Introduction
· Chathaoirligh, Elected Members, Public Representatives, Ladies & Gentlemen –
· I am delighted to be here this evening in Sligo to launch the Cranmore Regeneration Masterplan.
· In the last number of months - and particularly since the Government published our Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness called ‘Rebuilding Ireland’ - I have attended a lot of events related to new housing developments.
· In taking on these serious challenges related to housing, it’s heartening for me as Minister to see new housing launches happening. It shows that even though we have a good way to go to turn things around, we are making some clear, early progress.
· But I have to say that of all the events I have attended, the projects relating to Regeneration struck me very strongly – they illustrate how improvements in housing and services can bring real benefits to people and to communities.
· Since the launch of Rebuilding Ireland, I had the opportunity to launch two very important Regeneration projects in Dublin: Dominick Street on the northside and Dolphin House on the southside.
· So this evening, it is an equal pleasure for me to come here to Sligo and to launch the Sligo East City, Cranmore and Environs Regeneration Masterplan - and to reinforce my own commitment, and that of the Government, to the investment we are making in this area.
· My commitment stems from the view I have that the Regeneration programme we are supporting here and elsewhere - with annual investment of around €60 million nationally – shows that we are building communities, rather than just building housing estates.
· Regeneration Programmes like this ‘work’ because they look to develop an area holistically. We can’t fix the physical makeup of an area without also providing for its social and economic regeneration, and that’s what we aim to do under these programmes.
· Cranmore and the other areas that are receiving Regeneration investment are faced with a range of challenges, many of which are long-standing and stem from mistakes that were made in the past, relating to housing provision where, perhaps, the focus was quantity more than quality, where good design and tenure mix didn’t always get sufficient attention, and where the need for good support services also lost out to delivery of volumes of houses.
· The level of investment we’re making now under regeneration is considerable, but it is justified. With the social housing building programme we have now launched, we will soon be seeing more and more new houses and it will be clear to all that these are well-designed, high-quality homes. This is what people deserve but that cannot be the case alone for those who will benefit from the recently-built housing.
· The people living in existing areas such as Cranmore and the communities in Dolphin House and Limerick, all equally deserve a good living environment and that’s what we’re aiming for with this regeneration investment.
· So building communities, rather than just building housing estates, is what we want to achieve for the Sligo East City area. We have made a good start already through the investment that’s been made to date - €24 million already invested in Cranmore area over the past 12 years, including housing improvements and community development initiatives, estate management, landscaping, a playground and CCTV systems.
· That good work will now be carried forward through the Masterplan, which I know has been very carefully developed. The additional €20 million my Department is committing to support the Masterplan will allow delivery of further housing improvements, the development of sports pitches, a community centre and better road linkages in the area.
· I know that the overall cost to deliver on all of the objectives of the Masterplan will need further funding, sourced from both private and public sources. But whether it is the ambition to develop health facilities or new housing or community facilities, with other funders playing a role, certainly my Department will play its part in contributing.
· I know that the Council has already made a good start in getting other funding by securing €2 million from the EU under the ‘Designated Urban Centres Grants Scheme’, and that one of the projects to be supported with that money will be the planned multi-function community centre in the heart of Cranmore.
· The ‘Crann Nua centre’ will be of great significance for the Regeneration programme’s physical and social enhancements. It will provide community spaces for sports, meetings, training and service delivery.
· So with the €24 million already invested and the commitment from my Department of another €20 million, and the commitment to tap into other funding sources, this evening’s event is about acknowledging the good work already started but also committing to the longer-term effort needed to deliver the change that the residents of Cranmore wish to see happen over the next ten years. I understand that the Masterplan was adopted by Sligo County Council on 5th September last and I’m told that the elected Councillors had high praise for everyone involved in the process so far.
· The Plan is a real example of collaboration between Sligo County Council, Government Departments and State Agencies working in the area and, most importantly, the people living in Cranmore and its environs.
· What Cranmore has, and I can see it for myself here this evening, is real community spirit and endeavour. Your community may be made up of different people with different circumstances, but all share this neighbourhood as their own and all want the very best for the area. We need at Government and at Council level, to support that spirit and that endeavour.
· With the Masterplan and with the investment we’ll make over the next ten years, we can tap into that community spirit and even strengthen it. If we get that right, the outcome for this area will be – and deserves to be – better neighbourhoods with improved housing, good support and recreation facilities and better, more sustainable communities.
· Central to this process is the hard work, commitment and endurance by lots of different community groups. I have heard about some fantastic projects and programmes delivered by these groups, including:
- The boat building project and the Abbeyquarter Men’s Group managed by the Cranmore Community Co-Operative Society,
- programmes delivered to families and individuals through the Resource House Springboard Family Support Project,
- employment opportunities and training provided by the Abbeyquarter Community Centre to the residents of Cranmore - I am aware also that the residents of Cranmore have been very generous over the years in contributing financially to the running of the Abbeyquarter Community Centre.
· Given how important it is that we support families in our neighbourhoods, particularly children, I am delighted to see that part of the works that the Council will be delivering are sports facilities and play areas and the major recreational facilities at Cleveragh Regional Park.
· The contribution of the residents here - both individually and also collectively working through the range of community groups - is a key part of how the Regeneration Masterplan has been developed. And it will be central to how it is implemented too.
· I also want to acknowledge Sligo County Council. They have put great effort into the Regeneration process and into the Masterplan and in securing the funding for it. Both the Councillors and the officials have committed enthusiastically to this project and I know they will work diligently to drive it forward and help Cranmore and the Sligo East City area to flourish in the coming years.
Concluding remarks
· I congratulate everyone involved in the delivery to date of the regeneration programme and on the development of the Masterplan for the further development of Cranmore. You should all be very proud of your achievements to date.
· I have no doubt that the significant investment in Cranmore as a result of the regeneration programme will be of significant benefit to Sligo City as a whole, making it a better place to live, work and do business. I hope you will continue to lend your support to the regeneration project as it moves forward with the implementation of the Masterplan and I have no doubt that Cranmore will flourish in the coming years.
· Thank you all.