Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Costello for raising this very important matter. I am glad to have the opportunity to provide the House with an update on the housing conditions at Oliver Bond House. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is committed to ensuring that tenants in social housing are provided with adequate housing that meets the standards most recently laid down in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. The Department is actively engaging with the local authority sector to promote the preventive maintenance of local authority housing stock and provides significant funding for stock improvement works. In addition to funding provided by the local authorities themselves in respect of their own housing stock, the Department provides funding across a number of programmes to support local authorities to work to maintain and improve their social housing stock. In all cases, it is the local authorities that identify priorities. The continued work of local authorities in undertaking stock condition surveys, their responsive and planned maintenance programmes, as well as important programmes such as the energy retrofitting and voids programmes seeks to support the local authorities' maintenance programmes.

With specific regard to Oliver Bond House, it was built in 1936 and is one of the oldest and largest flat complexes in Dublin with 397 units and approximately 1,200 residents. The upkeep, refurbishment and regeneration of this social housing complex is a matter, in the first instance, for the local authority. However, it is my understanding that Dublin City Council is actively engaged with the residents and is working on a number of short-term projects to improve the outdoor and common areas as well as long-term proposals for the retrofitting and refurbishment of the flats at Oliver Bond House. Dublin City Council is currently working on proposals and designs for an extensive regeneration programme that will see the total refurbishment of all 397 flats at Oliver Bond House in two phases to bring them up to modern standards, including those with respect to size and energy efficiency. Dublin City Council has indicated that a stage 1 funding application for this regeneration programme is expected to be submitted to the Department by the end of this month. I understand that, as part of this programme, Dublin City Council is in the process of establishing a regeneration community forum for the Oliver Bond complex. The Department is supportive of the regeneration of Oliver Bond House and looks forward to receiving this submission for funding consideration and will work with Dublin City Council to ascertain the appropriate funding mechanisms for this programme.

While the ongoing issues of anti-social behaviour in Oliver Bond House are a matter for Dublin City Council and An Garda Síochána, Dublin City Council has advised it is aware of serious estate management issues in Oliver Bond House. Dublin City Council is working very closely with An Garda Síochána and is actively engaging with residents and assisting them at an individual level to address issues brought to its attention both directly and through the Robert Emmet Community Development Project, CDP. Dublin City Council officials also attend meetings with residents' groups to hear their concerns. There are monthly meetings with An Garda Síochána and Dublin City Council's area office and there is ongoing co-operation to investigate complaints of alleged drug distribution. All complaints are investigated. If it is a criminal matter the complainant must be referred to An Garda Síochána. If An Garda Síochána makes the council aware a tenant has used his or her flat for the sale, supply or manufacture of illegal drugs then the council can act within the civil powers to seek an undertaking regarding future behaviour or recovery of the dwelling. Dublin City Council has also installed state-of-the-art security cameras to assist with the investigation of complaints of anti-social behaviour such as those referred to by the Deputy.

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