St Michaels Estate says- 'We're not going away!'

dublin | housing | news report

Tuesday October 07, 2008 18:19

by Paula Geraghty

mspgeraghty at yahoo dot ie

Communities campaignt to have housing bailed out as government underwrite the Banks but neglect people

Protests continue outside Dublin City Council by communities by communities betrayed by property developers.

handing out leaflets

St. Michael’s Estate is organised a protest at City Hall on Monday the 6th October at 6.00pm to express their anger at the inaction and confusion caused by the Minister for Housing Michael’s Finneran and Dublin City Council. Angry locals protested with O ‘Devaney Gardens & Dominic Street to coincide with the Dublin City Council meeting scheduled for 7.00pm.

Since the collapse of St Michael’s Estate regeneration plan with McNamara/Castlethorn construction on 19th May Dublin City Council has taken no decisive action to resolve the issue. Speaking about the protest, Rita Fagan a member of the Regeneration Team said
“We are furious with the Minister, he caused great confusion and panic among residents last week when he announced on RTE’s Prime Time that he had set up a new Task Force to deal with issues, secondly he said his priority is to rehouse residents and thirdly he said he is in talks with the 2nd bidder Corcoran Jennison. People are livid as each action contradicts the other”.

Rita went on to say “It is obvious the Minster is not listening to residents and locals. We don’t need a second Task Force we had one already and disbanded it in favour of the current Board. Residents want to live on St Michaels Estate and have spent 10 years working in consultation with Dublin City for the social and physical regeneration of the estate. They want their homes and local facilities. Finally if the government can not get the second bidder to sign a deal to build St Michael’s then let the government fund the project.”

Speaking about the protest Dr John Bissett, Member of St Michaels Regeneration Team and author of the forthcoming book Regeneration, Public Good or Private Profit said, “People are taking to the streets because the government are deliberately doing nothing. Our first regeneration plan was drawn up in consultation locals and Dublin City Council. The government funded the first phase which was on time and on budget and over 50 families moved to new houses. But the Department of the Environment with drew funds saying that PPP was the only way forward. Not a brick has been laid since we adopted PPP. Yet it has taken years and cost over €20 million”.

The agreed PPP Regeneration plan includes the 14 acre site at St Michael’s Estate with houses and local amenities. Michael’s Estate Regeneration Team work with and on behalf of the residents in the regeneration process. For more information please see www.stmichaelsestate.ie . People can be contacted also at: info@stmichaelsestate.ie
images (c) Paula Geraghty

Further coverage on indymedia.ie:
https://www.indymedia.ie/openwire?search_text=St+Michae...0&y=0
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/87727?comment_limit=0&c...40046