The Limerick Leader - Friday, 20 November, 2009

Limerick family left homeless after arson attack

ARSONISTS have burnt out a house in a city estate, leaving a single mother and her family homeless.
Marie Troy returned from visiting her nieces late on Tuesday night to discover her house in Delmege Park in the Moyross estate had been destroyed in an arson attack.

Luckily, her four young children were staying with their father at the time.

And Marie's two dogs and two cats escaped unharmed, despite being left in the burning building. Neighbours alerted Marie - who has owned her own house for 15 years - to the blaze, and she returned home in the early hours of Wednesday morning to find her house destroyed.

Thieves targeted the house, taking a 42-inch television, priceless jewellery, and a brand new chrome table which she had borrowed from her daughter.

Holding back tears, the distraught mother said: "I honestly do not know why I have been targeted in this way. It's one thing to come in and rob a house, which they did. But why did they have to burn everything down? I am just feeling totally sick right now. I cannot believe people can do this. We have lost everything - our life, our memories, our beginnings. My family started from here."

Ms Troy said the attack was particularly tough on her children - Lisa, 20; Kacey, 15; Stephen, 10, and Caitlin, 6. "My young fella came in a while ago, and my other little girl, and they were in tears. It's hard to explain to him why his Man United room has been destroyed," she said.

Miraculously, Marie's pets - dogs Socks and Scamp and cats Missey and Mossey - escaped the blaze. "I call them my hoovers, because they hoover up all the food after the children. They were just left in the burning house. And they are defenceless little creatures," said Ms Troy.

She is facing a €100,000 repair bill in the run up to Christmas, as she did not take out insurance. Members of her local community, including the Moyross Monks have been rallying round to support her. Neighbour Tommy Daly, who stood in the local elections this summer said he was going to chat with the Regeneration Agency and Limerick City Council in a bid to secure Ms Troy a new home.

"We will see if they can sort her out with something. She is a homeowner, but unfortunately does not have home insurance, because it is very expensive. She was in the process of saving for it. But now she has to survive up to Christmas on her disability benefit," Mr Daly told the Limerick Leader.

He also called for more Garda patrols throughout the estate, saying: "The youths out here have nothing better to do. I think the Garda Siochanna should have more patrols out there, but this is not happening. They have not got the manpower to do it, but the Fitzgerald Report promised 100 extra guards here. Where are they?"

Mayorstone Gardai confirmed no arrests had yet been made, but they are "fully investigating" the CCTV in the area, and will shortly carry out house-to-house enquires.

They can be contacted on 061-456980, while Henry Street Gardai can be reached at 061-212400.