St Teresa’s Gardens, Dublin | Sinn Féin backs community 100%

Government neglect causes call for demolition and regeneration

Sinn Féin’s Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD and Councillor Críona Ní Dhálaigh with local residents meeting Michael Finneran, Minister for Housing and Local Services

g BY ROSS CARMODY

DURING the so-called Celtic Tiger era many areas around the state remained untouched by the new-found prosperity, none more so than St Teresa’s Gardens in Dublin’s south inner city.
What was a proud community for over 50 years, has been the victim of such official neglect that 44% of the residents there believe that the one thing that would improve their lives would be moving out.
This is one of the stark findings a recent survey carried out by the St Teresa’s Gardens Regeneration Board has revealed.
The board, made up of community groups, local residents, councillors and officials from Dublin City Council - has been working to find an alternative ever since the recent collapse of the Public Private Partnership proposal  to regenerate the area.
As part of the campaign to highlight the need for immediate action they carried out a survey of 134 households on the estate (out of a total of 180 currently occupied) and the results clearly show an area in drastic need of Government action.

Some of the findings include:-
•    52% reported a problem with damp in at least one room with over 40% sleeping in damp bedrooms;
•    32% reported sewage coming up through bathroom and kitchen plug-holes;
•    Rats were reported in 9 out of the 14 blocks on the estate;
•    475 internal maintenance problems were reported by the 134 households surveyed.

Local Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Sinn Fein Councillor Críona Ní Dhálaigh have been working closely with the residents on this issue and have been pushing hard to raise the issue on a national level.
They believe, as do the overwhelming majority of the residents, that the only credible solution is the complete demolition and redevelopment of the area. According to Councillor Ní Dhálaigh:
“This is no longer a council issue. The conditions in St Teresa’s Gardens are a national disgrace. The residents see demolition as the only solution. Sinn Féin backs them 100%.”
However, as with most issues when dealing with this government, the Sinn Féin representatives have been faced with official indifference to the plight of the residents.
One year ago, on November 25th 2009, Aengus Ó Snodaigh wrote to Green Party Environment Minister John Gormley asking him, as Minister with special responsibility for Social Housing, to visit the complex to see for himself the conditions the residents are living in. To the time of writing, the minister has not seen fit to direct his taxpayer-paid-for Mercedes in the direction of the estate, a mere two miles from his comfortable office in Leinster House.
Currently the future of the estate lies in the hands of the Housing Task Force, a group of engineers, architects, and council officials but, interestingly, no residents or public representatives. The task force was appointed by Dublin City Council to look at all options for the estate before asking Government for the necessary funds.

They are currently looking at three options:-
1)    Regeneration;
2)    Refurbishment of the existing homes;
3)    Or a mixture of the two.

Councillor Ní Dhálaigh sees regeneration as the only long-term viable solution.
“This estate was completely ignored during the Celtic Tiger era.
“Around 180 homes lie empty, there has been a massive increase in anti-social behaviour and a lot of the remaining residents feel there is no future here. Morale in the community is ebbing as the community structure breaks down.” She says.
“When regeneration was offered under the Public Private Partnership scheme the residents believed that it would include parks, a community centre, everything that was needed to revitalise the area. As it now stands, these amenities are off the table. Should the task force choose an option such as refurbishment this will merely be a partial yet costly solution.
“In the meantime, the Council must act to deal with the worst of the problems, especially the rat infestation. The council is still the landlord and cannot duck its responsibilities.”
When asked about the Government’s willingness to provide the necessary funds for regeneration, Councillor Críona Ní Dhálaigh replies:
“If they had a conscience they would find the funding.”
That remains to be seen from a government that has spent billions bailing out the very same developers who reneged on the PPS regeneration schemes.
While the Fianna Fáil and Green Party Government ministers are absorbed in their own party political interests, the tenants of St Teresa’s are still left waiting.