Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Absolutely. We will call it Saint Saviour's Boxing Club. That space will also include a commercial unit and a café space. The project will be completed in one phase and will provide a mix of one, two and three-bedroom homes. This is very important and much needed in the area.

In July 2023 my Department provided stage 3 pre-tender approval, which is just a number of months ago, for the redevelopment of St. Mary’s Place to provide 163 new units. Work is progressing through the eTenders platform on the tender process for the appointment of a contractor to the project. It is anticipated that this process will be completed in quarter 4 of this year with a stage 4 post-tender submission to my Department with work to commence onsite in 2024. The question the Senator will ask is "When in 2024?" Obviously we want to see that happening as quickly as possible.

Dublin City Council advise that this project is part of a long-term strategy for the redevelopment and refurbishment of their older most pressing complexes. For the purposes of information, they advise that a wider review has identified 96 of these older flat complexes for redevelopment and refurbishment in the years 2023 to 2030. My Department has provided various levels of pre-construction approval for the refurbishment or replacement of the following complexes with Dublin City Council: Pearse House; Constitution Hill; Bluebell; School Street; Oliver Bond House; Glover’s Court; Dolphin House; and Matt Talbot Court. We want to see projects receiving approval as quickly as possible. It is very much within the remit of Dublin City Council.

In summary, the update is that at this stage the St. Mary's Place project has gone to the eTenders platform, the work is already done with Dublin City Council and the tender for the appointment of a contractor is under way. At this rate they will complete that in quarter 4 of this year, with stage 4 pre-tenders submitted to my Department, with work to commence on site in 2024.