A plan being put forward by the Limerick City Council Housing Committee to re-locate troublesome families in special clusters of ten to 20 houses has been described as creating 'a ghetto mentality' by a spokesman for Republican Sinn Féin.
Mick the Quill Ryan from Ballynanty, chairman of RSF in the north side of Limerick said the Council plan calls for clusters in the north and south side of Limerick where families involved in anti-social behaviour could be housed.
The plan is part of a submission from the City Council to the newly established Regeneration Agencies in Limerick
"This approach is akin to a Soviet era gulag where the families are deposited in a cluster of dwellings. While the Council plan calls for intensive support services, the reality is that such a place would fast become a no go area.
"The idea of a cluster of criminal families housed in small units and overseen by State agencies may seem good at first glance but past experience has shown that within a very short time these families will rule the area with an iron fist and no amount of social intervention will prevent it.
"This latest approach is a backward step and will only serve to create more problems in the long run," said Mr Ryan.