John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Over the lifetime of Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, some €211 million is being made available under the national regeneration programme to support the delivery of more than 1, 000 new social housing homes. Together with providing a significant number of new homes, the projects seek to address the causes of disadvantage in these communities through a holistic programme of physical, social and economic regeneration.

The Ballymun regeneration programme, which predates Rebuilding Ireland, spanned many years, with departmental funding first arising in 1999 from the 1997 plan to which the Deputy referred. This substantial programme, which comprised 24 projects, is now complete. The overall programme is estimated to have cost approximately €972 million. Funding of €775.3 million was provided via the then Department of the Environment and Local Government. Largely completed by the end of 2013, the Ballymun programme represents the largest regeneration initiative undertaken in the State. The State's investment resulted in almost 2,000 new replacement homes being constructed for the former residents of the original blocks of flats. An additional 1,350 homes were provided via private sector investment. In addition, the programme provided state-of-the-art community facilities, such as the Axis Theatre, along with neighbourhood centres to improve services. In recent years, the regeneration activity has focused on improving the area's environmental performance with various green initiatives, new parks and playing pitches. Enterprise and employment generation has focused on the main street and retail parks, with many new employment opportunities created for residents of the area.

I fully concur with Deputy's Ellis's point on the central role of the shopping centre in completing the regeneration of Ballymun. The redevelopment of the shopping centre is considered to be the key remaining element in the regeneration of the Ballymun area. This significant main street site comprising 3.2 ha is zoned for district centre mixed use in both the city development plan and the Ballymun area plan. Dublin City Council wishes to obtain sustainable mixed use viable development that will maximise the site, use its full potential and complement the extensive State and local authority investment in Ballymun's regeneration to date. Following a competitive procurement process earlier this year, a demolition contractor was selected and the contractor commenced work on the site on 9 September 2019. The site is being secured in advance of commencing the demolition works, which will take approximately six months to complete. Future use of the site will involve a public consultation process.

A regeneration project moves through a number of phases throughout its life. The initial master planning stage is followed by demolition works, enabling works, refurbishment and consolidation works in some cases and then construction. A regeneration project must extend beyond physical redevelopment alone. In order to be successful and sustainable over the long term, a regeneration project requires the rebuilding of a community and the strengthening of community bonds. Taken together, the provision of state-of-the-art community facilities, large-scale housing regeneration and new development and support for local enterprise and employment through various social regeneration initiatives ensured the success so far of the Ballymun regeneration programme. The redevelopment of the shopping centre site will complete the regeneration of this area. It is expected, following the completion of the demolition works, which are expected to take six months, that the city council will engage in extensive consultation with stakeholders and the wider public to ensure that the objectives the Deputy outlined are met for the community of Ballymun and those areas around Ballymun that will benefit from the regeneration of the shopping centre site.

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