Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)

On 17 February, the St. Michael's Estate regeneration contract with BAM Contractors was stopped by Dublin City Council. BAM was awarded the contract in late 2010 to construct the first phase of the regeneration of St. Michael's Estate. It is difficult to understand the decision by Dublin City Council to put in place a moratorium due to serious concerns over health and safety. What were the reasons? Was it due to construction, work practices or financial issues? Seventy five units were to be built in the estate, along with a child care facility and an estate office. There have been 15 years of regeneration, promises and constant fighting by residents, but now we have 11 acres of wasteland and two acres of a ghost estate.

Mediation is urgently needed between Dublin City Council, the city manager, the councillors and BAM. If necessary, the Department should intervene to sort this out. Residents have been left in the lurch, with more and more delays occurring. The worst thing that could happen to someone is to be forced to move home or to wait for a new home to be ready. How many people have put their possessions in storage and stayed in temporary accommodation while waiting for their homes to be built? There may only have been 75 units in the first phase, but we are talking about hundreds of men, women and children left in the lurch, hoping that this would be built in the near future. We need to give these people certainty that something is going to happen and that we are not going to be delayed. I urge the Minister of State to intervene if necessary.

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