Social Democrats\u2019 Dublin City Councillors today voiced strong opposition to current plans for the development of O\u2019Devaney Gardens and urged the council to come up with proposals for public housing on the site that is genuinely affordable.<\/p>\n
Cllr Gary Gannon said:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe O\u2019Devaney Gardens site is one of the largest tracts of public land currently in the possession of the State. If we are not going to provide public affordable housing at this State-owned land, then where else is left?<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Social Democrats have engaged extensively with Dublin City Council on this issue, but what is being offered currently is not a good deal for the citizens of Dublin, certainly not to the extent that it is for the private developers who stand to profit to the tune of \u20ac67 million from this transfer of public land into private ownership.<\/p>\n
\u201cCouncil management have also failed to provide clarity with the legal advice received as to why an option for \u2018affordable rental\u2019 could not be placed at this location, and have also been coy on the issue of whether the Council will be required to pay management fees for the social housing units that will be placed at this location, despite the fact 78 per cent of the land will technically remain in their control.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will not be complicit in a development that further excludes people and families already excluded from the prospect of secure tenure or home ownership in our city. Public representatives have a responsibility to future generations of this city. This is a bad deal and will do little to support the vast number of people already struggling to access secure housing in Dublin.\u201d<\/p>\n
Councillor Catherine Stocker added:<\/p>\n
\u201cUnder the current plan, 70 per cent of the homes would be for private sale. Even after government subsidies, the so-called \u201caffordable\u201d family-sized homes will still cost between \u20ac350,000 and \u20ac420,000 for two-and three-bedroom units.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Council needs to go back to the drawing board and come up with proposals for this site that deliver homes that are genuinely affordable. We\u2019ve seen that this can work with St Michael\u2019s site in the south city where houses are being provided on a public site that are a mixture of social housing and affordable rental or cost-rental.<\/p>\n
\u201cSubsidising people to buy yet more expensive houses is no way to tackle the crisis of affordability in our city. This is Fine Gael once more creating the illusion of addressing the housing crisis. This attempt to reframe what constitutes \u201caffordable housing\u201d is a further indictment of the appalling record of this Fine Gael government and another example of the wealthy interests which they so clearly prioritise over the common good.\u201d<\/p>\n
ENDS<\/p>\n
17th September 2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Social Democrats\u2019 Dublin City Councillors today voiced strong opposition to current plans for the development of O\u2019Devaney Gardens and urged the council to come up with proposals for public housing on the site that is genuinely affordable. Cllr Gary Gannon said: \u201cThe O\u2019Devaney Gardens site is one of the largest tracts of public land currently […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[316,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-807","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gary-gannon","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n