John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)

I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this important matter. Pearse House, as he rightly pointed out, is a flat complex of some 345 homes which was designed by the city housing architect, Mr. George Herbert Simms, and built between 1936 and 1938 for Dublin Corporation under the housing Act 1932. The project plan for the regeneration of Pearse House is a matter for the local authority concerned. However, Dublin City Council has advised the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage that it is further developing proposals to advance the regeneration of the flat complex. Having first received capital appraisal approval from my Department in April 2021, the subsequent pre-planning proposal by Dublin City Council for the regeneration of blocks L, M, N and P in Pearse House was to reduce the number of homes from 78 to 44. This would have resulted in the council having to find permanent accommodation for some 34 families. We are all very acutely aware of the challenges in terms of social housing provision across the country and the Department was not in a position at that time to support proposals that would result in a significant loss of homes.

Dublin City Council, however, has informed the Department that it has instructed its integrated design team to review the design strategy to maximise all possibilities to ensure that the maximum number of homes are available post-refurbishment. This work is currently ongoing and the council will continue to liaise with the Department of housing in order to progress the submission of the revised funding application. This work will ensure the project continues to fruition with the optimal design for all parties concerned.

One of the challenges of the project is that the Pearse House complex is included on Dublin City Council's record of protected structures. This presents certain complexities when undertaking structural works, as the Senator will appreciate. As stipulated in section 51(1) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, the formulation of the record of protected structures is a reserved function of the elected members and the planning authority. As per section 30 of the Act, and notwithstanding sections 28 or 29, the Minister "shall not exercise any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or the Board is or may be concerned". A review of the record of the protected structures is typically undertaken as part of the development plan review process. The planning authority can also make an addition to or deletion from the record of protected structures at any time, following the procedures set out under the Act.

As I said already, Dublin City Council will revert to the Department following the design appraisal it is currently undertaking in order to maximise the quantum of housing that will be delivered on the site post-regeneration and the Department looks forward to receiving those proposals.