Limerick woman’s mission to fix potholes for Lent
Fine Gael Cllr Denis McCarthy and local resident, Paul Tinney measure one of the large potholes at Meadowbrook estate, in Corbally, which is due to be taken in charge by Limerick City Council pending further works. Picture: Dave Gaynor
A LIMERICK resident has made it her Lenten campaign to call the builders behind her estate for 40 days and repeatedly request that they fix the roads.
Resident Terry Culligan said she and her family love living in Meadowbrook in the Mill Road, Corbally, with the exception that potholes in the road leading into the estate “resembles Beirut”, according to visitors to the area. She said the potholes are “embarrassing” and potentially dangerous to children in the estate. Terry said she has repeatedly been given assurances that the work will be fixed when she has called the offices of Kenny Builders in Limerick, and most recently was told they’ll be fixed this Thursday. She is waiting to see if the company fulfils their long-awaited promise. She said the Minister for Housing Jan O’Sullivan has been the only politician to really take on the case for residents, however local councillor Denis McCarthy, who lives nearby, said he too is “highly frustrated” by the situation.
The 100-house estate, which is nearly 25 years old, is due to be taken in charge by Limerick City Council once a ‘snag list’ of works is completed by the developers. It is understood that these also include fixing the drainage and sewerage systems.
“I paid my €100 household charge, and what was the point? It’s so frustrating. You expect to see something in return. I keep thinking maybe the road will be fixed.”
Terry, her husband Stephen and their two children, aged six years and eight months, have lived in the estate for 10 years. “We put every penny we had into our house. We have talked to relatives about all the work we got done, the flowers planted and garden done up, and then they drive in and see the state of the road. A relative of one neighbour said it would be easier to drive into Beirut. It’s said in jest, but the joke has become tired,” she told the Limerick Leader.
“There is lack of ownership here and a feeling no one wants to take control of the estate. We have a strong residents’ committee, but the area is being left in limbo. The underlying fear is that one of our children is going to be hurt. When you drive in during the day you can avoid them, but at night you can’t see how deep they go.”
The potholes have been fixed with sand and gravel, but not tar, she said.
Kenny Builders Ltd, of which there are a number of subsidiaries, are based in Harvey’s Quay in the city, and has been in existence since the early 1990s. One subsidiary, Kenny Housing Developments Ltd, was dissolved in 2010. The owner, Martin Kenny, was not available to comment however a spokesman said they are in talks with the council and the potholes are due to be filled.
No one from Limerick City Council was available to comment on the case, though they did confirm that the estate is due to be taken in charge.
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Monday 20 May 2013
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