Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The one thing I do regret reading about Dublin City Council in recent days was that it took a sprightly but elderly woman - I think she was 90 - to court over a satellite television debt. To be perfectly honest, I think Dublin City Council might have been better rewarded by dealing with the issue, albeit a planning infringement, by concentrating its resources on some of the issues that Deputy Ó Snodaigh has highlighted. That is a personal view but perhaps that is something Dublin City Council should actually address.

As regards what is happening to the families who have entered into a whole series of different mortgage arrangements, it is a beautiful development. I do not know if the Deputy has been down there but it is right on the fringes of the River Liffey and externally it certainly looks wonderful. Those families have invested their hopes and dreams in it, but it has been found to be a fire hazard by Dublin Fire Brigade. Let me be clear that the fire brigade has a wonderful record of service to this city and the surrounding county.

What is necessary in this case is for Dublin City Council to step up to the table and work with the fire authority to address the issues which are really serious. The docklands authority was the original developer and, by the way, has had many fine developments in that area. It revived and recreated a whole area of Dublin with many offices, a lot of housing and much employment for Dubliners and others who have come to live and work in the capital. That is now in the process of transferral to Dublin City Council. These are the organisations that have the competency to deal with this matter.

If Deputy Ó Snodaigh would like to see further legislation, as he has suggested, the Government will examine any recommendations he may bring forward. However, the immediate issue is to take the fear away from the families living there with their small children. If there are serious fire risks, it is a matter for Dublin Fire Brigade which for many decades has been protecting all of those living in Dublin. I trust implicitly what the fire officers are saying and I think the solution is there, rather than long-fingering through Dáil legislation. We have to bring together the city council and the docklands authority, which is moving into the city council. This is in the hands of the city council, which should take action as a responsible city authority working with the fire brigade to solve this problem. Everybody living in Dublin admires the fire service so much. I have no objection to more legislation but I do not believe it is needed to address the problems that those families have now.

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