Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Ceann Comhairle as ucht an cheist seo a roghnú. Dolphin House in my constituency is in the news in recent days for all the wrong reasons. What has been in the news is a slight on the good people of Dolphin House who are normal people struggling to live normal lives but, because of neglect by the State over many years, have many things to cope with, not just the problems of the past two days. There are many problems such as sewage, drug problems, poor housing and the siege of the area, not only in the past two days but for quite a long time, by drug dealers who have made their community a misery.

This area and the people living there had built up their hopes in recent years. They reorganised the community and much good work was done to try to ensure when regeneration occurred, everyone in the community would benefit. Such was the enthusiasm for the planned regeneration that people in the community were involved in a door-to-door canvass of every household to find out what people's preferred options were and ask them for ideas. There was a significant response which much higher than in many other areas which have been socially disadvantaged. Most people said they would prefer the complex be demolished and a new Dolphin House or community be rebuilt on the site. Other issues raised in the canvass were the protection of the community and the need to tackle the increasing anti-social behaviour in the complexes, especially in block 2 and subsequently in block 4. There was a need, in the meantime, for Dublin City Council to increase its repair and maintenance work in the area.

Such was the scale of the changes, anyone visiting Dolphin House now would not recognise it from the late 1980s or early 1990s. The community has reorganised and there is much work being done for young people. Despite this, hopes have been dashed because the regeneration programme, given the current economic circumstances, seems to have been stalled. My appeal is for those hopes to be regenerated and for some message from the Government to say it has not forgotten the community and is still on track with the regeneration of Dolphin House.

As a symbol of the stalled process, if one goes into Dolphin House there are brand new portakabins where the old community centre was and they have been there for a number of months waiting on Dublin City Council to connect them to the sewage system. Months have passed and it has not happened. A simple thing such as that would mean the community could use the brand new facilities it has.

I urge the Minister of State, Deputy Moloney to send out a message of hope to the community so it does not feel isolated and totally under siege by the thugs who have tried over recent nights to destroy the reputation and good work in the area. Some 30 cars were damaged one night with a riot the following night and subsequent disturbances. It is not a positive message of regeneration. I appeal to the Minister of State to work with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern, to send out a message that the community will be protected because in recent nights the thugs have specifically targeted those who have been working to build up the community and ensure young people in Dolphin House have hope.

Only two days ago I attended the launch of a report on the health of the community and, again, it reflected what we already knew. Those who are disadvantaged have major health problems which are exacerbated by poor living conditions and anti-social behaviour. There is an opportunity for the Minister of State, elected representatives and Dublin City Council to send a message out they will stand by the community and ensure the good work that has been carried out in recent years will not be left to go to rack and ruin, that there is potential in the area, they will help re-start the regeneration project and work will take place.

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