Limerick City in Ireland’s south-west
is currently undergoing the largest urban Regeneration project in the history
of the Irish State. This paper presents key findings from a qualitative study,
which audited experiences and concerns related to community safety in a number
of the working-class residential areas designated for regeneration in Limerick.
The research utilised a series of focus groups and interviews to gather,
document, and analyse the most pressing concerns expressed by three distinct
groups of community residents - young people (aged 18-25), parents, and the
elderly. The research prioritised the voices of residents as part of our wider
commitment to ensure they can participate in all future decisions related to
community safety, in the context of the regeneration of their localities.
This paper presents residents
“experiences of neighbourhood incivilities”, and demonstrates a very strong
perception among residents that social problems in these areas are not taken as
seriously as they would be were they to occur in more middle-class communities
in the city. They express views that issues of anti-social behaviour, arson,
joyriding, etc are seen as ‘natural’ and regular occurrences in these
communities; and consequently there is not the same sense of urgency from state
and local actors in addressing them.
Our paper utilises Bauman’s (2001)
three-part concept of Sicherheit (safety, certainty and security) to
discuss residents “perceptions of the influence of incivilities” upon their day
to day lives (Airey 2003) and how these issues are
intrinsic elements in the production and reproduction of their urban
territories.