Mr. Neil Maloney:

Pearse House is a flat complex within this area of 345 flats, with a vast and historic community that is generational - probably over decades if not over a century - including my own family. It was built 90 years ago and we have been openly looking for the regeneration of this flat complex. We have, to date, an agreement that it will be deep retrofitted, which is not exactly what we wanted but it is something that is going to happen. What was going to happen on this site was that if we were able to knock two into one and make bigger flats, we were going to lose flats. Unfortunately, the Government said last March that it was looking for additionality, so this led us back to where we are today.

I will read out what I have prepared on this. We are based in the south-east area, a Dublin stronghold, and we engage with Dublin City Council and local politicians, including councillors, in relation to making our community better, with housing being a focus of this effort. We have progressed a plan for our flat complex regeneration but there is a serious concern with the need for bigger homes to alleviate the overcrowding currently experienced within the Pearse Street area and the wider district, area M. This is having a serious impact on the community as families are struggling to access social homes to suit their needs in our area. Many tenants living in our complex are generational tenants, whose roots have been set in the community for decades and, in some cases, for over a century. We in the association are seeking to help new and existing residents through our housing and community facilities. In the past 20 years, we have seen the area gentrified, with a focus on commercial retail and transient accommodation through bed and breakfast accommodation, Airbnb, hotels and hostels. This, unfortunately, has led to restricted opportunities for residents to live in their own community. Most recently, two hostels with 600 beds are currently being built - or planning approval has been granted - and not one home has been secured on those sights, which is an absolute shame.

While we would welcome business into the area, the need for social and affordable housing is not only confined to our area; it is a national issue. Overcrowding is having a deteriorating impact on residents' mental health and expectations to grow. It is also having an effect on the children as they regress from these situations. We need to look at families and their needs to be able reach their expectations through their housing needs.

Pearse House Residents Association received news in March 2025 that the Government had rejected our proposal for the regeneration project. It was noted that there would be 36 flats lost in the first phase. This was a bitter blow to residents' hopes and expectations. This has led to Dublin City Council revising the drawings to be presented to the Department. We in the association have identified several vacant properties within the area which would provide additionality and a vital link between the existing complex and the new development.

We have identified a vacant potential development lot that could be transformed into accommodation for families with a focus on bigger three- and four-bedroom dwellings. Images 1 to 7 in the document shared show the vacant site and its proximity to the current complex. We would argue that this is an ideal site to redevelop this eyesore and breathe life back into the main thoroughfare into the city. This site has been vacant for several years and could be bought by Dublin City Council, which already owns J.P. Motorcycles, shown in image 6. This development could be a mix: on the front, at Pearse Street, of commercial, with apartments over and a setback that would allow us to rise to four- to five-storey blocks, in line with Dublin City Council's guidelines. Access to these apartments could be achieved through the lane facing Pearse House. We would argue that this is possibly one of the last opportunities for this Government and the council to add social homes within the Pearse Street area - an opportunity we cannot let slip.

On that note, we were hoping to have more residents here tonight. Unfortunately, because of the news that came out in March, they are disillusioned with everything that has happened here. It has been a cruel blow. It is something that has been hard for us, even to push on. Two of the committee members are here this evening with us. We still believe in the project. We still believe that there is something that can be achieved out of this as well in the area that we have identified.

I thank the committee members for their time and I would welcome any questions.