Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank and commend the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage for its work on this report. Regeneration is particularly important in the south inner city, in particular the constituency of Dublin Bay South. When we talk about regeneration and derelict sites, we have to consider that Dublin City Council has residents living in overcrowded conditions every day on what can only be described as derelict sites. The Government has given approval to stage 1 of the project relating to Pearse House. Pearse House will undergo redevelopment and regeneration. I was on Ross Road recently, not too far from here. I saw a plaque on the wall relating to a development that occurred around 2000. It was a quote that came from community consultation and stated that the renovation was completed in September 2000. If a place is not maintained, however, it will fall into disrepair, and over time, the people living there will become demoralised and the place will go back to the way it was before. That was on the wall of a regenerated development on Ross Road. It is ironic that it was erected by Dublin City Council, because it seems it does not listen to its own advice.

People are demoralised. Some are even broken. They are furious and they will not take this anymore. Expecting people to live in Pearse House, Canon Mooney Gardens or Leo Fitzgerald House is completely unacceptable. They are modern day tenements. People talk about the architecture of the buildings designed by Herbert Simms. There is no doubt that they are beautiful buildings, but they are not suitable for the families living in them. Certain individuals are more concerned about the architecture than other people's living conditions. Dublin City Council has neglected inner-city communities for too long. They will not take it anymore. When one walks around Rathmines, Pearse House, Mercer House and other flat complexes, one sees the neglect.

There are shocking conditions internally and externally. There is wiring, damp and rats. Illegal dumping is allowed to go unchallenged and unchecked. No families should be allowed to live in conditions Dublin City Council is overseeing. I was in Markievicz House, not too far from here, in the centre of Dublin city meeting residents with my colleague, Councillor Daniel Céitinn. One resident told us how faeces and urine were coming up through her sink so she had to go out and unblock the drain. As a result of her unblocking the drain it did not come up into her flat but it came out onto the public area. Urine and faeces were literally running along the footpath 20 ft. from a playground.

It is absolutely mad that Dublin City Council and the Government are not showing any sense of urgency around the regeneration of flat complexes. Canon Mooney Gardens in Ringsend was due for regeneration ten years ago but the Government and council ran out of money and it was dropped from the list for regeneration. Now they cannot get the regeneration and redevelopment they desperately need. They are just being fobbed off day in, day out with crumbs from the table, a flowerpot here and there, as if that is going to make any difference to the quality of their lives. It is completely mad. I was in a meeting with Dublin City Council and residents from St. Andrew's Court about four years ago. A design team has been appointed but it has not met with residents yet. I accept we have gone through Covid but the pace of redevelopment of St. Andrew's Court is glacial. Pearse House is supposed to be going through redevelopment. If I go down there and tell residents about the regeneration, half of them will not believe me and half will be extremely sceptical. They just do not believe it is going to happen. There is no real communication. Dublin City Council estate managers work with what they have and do a good job in what they have to work with. There is not enough resources being put in to communicate with residents, explaining the process and how they are going to see their community transformed. Residents in Pearse House and right across the inner city cannot be allowed live in these conditions any more. It just cannot be acceptable in 2022 to allow families be reared in overcrowded, dirty, unsafe conditions.

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