Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Senator for raising this motion and giving me the opportunity to set out the position on this project.

The remedial works programme for Liberty House, Railway Street, Dublin 1, is being dealt with by Dublin City Council on a phased basis. Liberty House was built in the late 1930s and originally consisted of 181 flats. The first proposals for its redevelopment were received over ten years ago. The windows in the flats had already been renewed in 1994 under the window replacement programme.

The first remedial phase involving blocks A, B and C was completed a number of years ago at a cost of €11.4 million. This involved general upgrading of the complex, internally and externally, the amalgamation of some units, works to internal and external walls, flooring, re-roofing, general works to stairs and circulation areas, the provision of fire doors to create stair lobbies, chimney repairs, facade treatment, together with site development and landscaping works. This first phase of works provided 86 refurbished units.

The present proposal is for the redevelopment of blocks D, E and F and was received in March 2007. It entails the demolition of the three blocks comprising a total of 150 units. The cost of the proposal is estimated at €17 million, excluding site costs, at an estimated cost of almost €390,000 per unit. The initial proposal includes the provision of 44 replacement units in respect of blocks D and E. At present there are no proposals for replacement units for block F. The proposed development, along with the existing refurbished flats in blocks A, B and C, would result in a total of 130 social units on this site.

Whereas my Department accepts there is a need further to revitalise the area and also notes the extensive consultation that has taken place with the residents, a number of issues in connection with the proposal have been raised with Dublin City Council and these must be addressed before the proposal can be further progressed.

Specifically, my Department has raised concerns about the high concentration of social units in the project as a whole and its impact on tenure mix, and also the relatively high unit cost for the works. In addition proposals in respect of block F have not been included in the current Dublin city submission. In my Department's view, the council should take a holistic approach to the total project and include block F in its proposals so that the cost implications for the entire development can be fully considered.

My Department wrote to the local authority on 4 December 2007 expressing these concerns and highlighting the need for a clear development strategy for the remaining blocks. My Department is now awaiting a response from the authority.