Maltese officials inspired by regeneration projects during Limerick visit

LIMERICK is paving the way for inspirational restoration initiatives, it seems, after a delegation from Malta were so impressed, that feeling “completely at home” was mentioned.

To learn more about social and economic schemes in regeneration areas of Limerick, a team representing the Maltese government recently visited projects in Ballinacurra Weston, Southill, St Mary’s Park and Moyross.

The Maltese Foundation of Social Welfare Services (FSWS), a department of Maltese Government, took Limerick inspiration due to a similar regeneration project that is currently underway in their capital, Valletta.

Alfred Grixti, Chief Executive Officer of the Maltese FSWS was particularly impressed by Limerick’s Moyross Youth Academy. He said: “I felt completely at home there. 

“I used to teach in a trade school and we were often treated as the Cinderella of the educational system but they are very needed,” Mr Grixti said of his own experience.

“Very much needed and it’s only a matter of realising what we have lost.”

Part of the European Union (EU) programme is to visit other EU countries and to translate similarities into practices, such as this. 

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Commenting, Tiernan O’Neill, Social Coordinator of Limerick Regeneration, said: “It was fantastic to be able to showcase the wonderful social initiatives that are happening across the four regeneration communities. 

“The Maltese delegation were hugely impressed by the initiatives that are enabling children and families to maximise their life opportunities.”

The entire city of Valletta is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has a population of just over six thousand people, while the total population of Malta is less than half a million.

The Valletta Regeneration scheme is EU funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) with a budget of just over €1m.