University of Limerick journalism students today launched two local newspapers – one aimed at Limerick regeneration areas and one for Limerick city. The Regeneration Voice newspaper reveals that €27 million has been allocated in Budget 2013 to disadvantaged areas in the city designated for regeneration.  The Limerick Voice reveals that the City and County Councils are facing a €20 million deficit in their finances because of a drop in commercial rates and one- in-three homeowners have yet to pay the controversial household charge.

Both newspapers are supplements in the City and County editions of the Limerick Leader this week.  And the Regeneration Voice will be distributed free by Limerick City Council to the 2,000 residents living in the Regeneration areas.

Speaking at the launch of the Regeneration Voice and Limerick Voice Newspaper, University of Limerick Vice President Academic & Registrar Professor Paul McCutcheon said "this project is one of many the University is undertaking in its efforts to reach out to disadvantaged communities in Limerick. We hope the communities of Limerick city and county will benefit from the production of these papers and from the opportunity to gain insights into their interaction with the media while our students have equally benefited from the experience of publishing it. The University is deeply committed to the Regeneration initiatives in Limerick and we hope the Limerick Voice and the Regeneration Voice Newspapers and other on-going projects will yield significant benefits for the communities involved."

The Regeneration Voice was produced by the Graduate Diploma/MA in Journalism students. Their Course Director Mary Dundon said:

“The aim of the project was to give the students hands-on experience of writing and producing a local newspaper. The editors of local and national media told us that they need graduates with good analytical skills who can write sharp concise news copy under strict deadlines and also design pages – we are producing those graduate at UL,” Ms Dundon added.

The second and fourth year students in the BA in Journalism and New Media course produced the Limerick Voice newspaper.

Course Director Tom Felle said: “The students did an excellent job in producing this 32-page newspaper under the same strict editorial guidelines of all local newspapers - a fair and balanced coverage of the main issues concerning the people.”

The UL journalism students had to source and write all the news, sports and feature stories. They also wrote the editorials and analysis pieces and designed the pages in the college’s Newsroom.

Both newspapers can be accessed online at: www.limerickvoice.com