Gama tackled over shoddy work

Residents' committee members Lisa Farrell and Adele Whelan

Gama Construction, which has been in the headlines recently for cheating its foreign workforce, has come under attack for what residents say is its shoddy work in a County Dublin housing estate.

Sinn Féin Councillor Shane O'Connor has joined residents of Buirg an Rí Estate in Balgaddy, Lucan, in their campaign to get the outstanding faults and defects in their homes rectified by Gama, the contracted builder of the 84-house scheme of social and affordable housing.

Councillor O'Connor told An Phoblacht that "following approaches from tenants, frustrated at the lack of response by the council and the builders, local Sinn Féin members circulated a questionnaire to all residents. We then assisted the committee to hold a general meeting at which a strategy and a series of demands were agreed."

Sixty responses (three quarters of residents) were received. The major complaints outlined were: cracks in walls and ceilings — 50%; low water pressure — 27%, with some households without water for up to three weeks; leaks — 25%; flooding — 27%; sewage problems — 15%; doors/fittings — 15%. Other internal problems included lack of ventilation, heating and electrical fittings. General problems on the estate were listed as: no playground or safe play area for children; dangers from traffic on adjacent main road — with a need for barriers and traffic calming; not enough or inadequate parking spaces.

Behind these statistics is a tale of ongoing hardship, suffering and frustration. One wheelchair bound resident, Mark Clancy, has not been able to get into his back garden as he is unable to reach the latch on his patio doors. He is unable to use a panic alarm as there are no phone lines. Another, who has epilepsy, has no shower fitted - despite the council being made aware of his situation. Helen O'Connor told how a section of plaster, roughly a foot square, just fell off her sitting room wall. Another, Ciarán Holmes, is unable to open his window as there is scaffolding outside his home for the past nine months. Two residents are left with gaping holes in their ceilings, caused by workers investigating leaks but not fixing the damage. Eddie Kinsella said sewage has backed up into his bath and sink.

"I waited for years to get a home and thought I was in paradise when I got my key," said Adele Whelan, member of the residents' committee. "It turned out to be hell. Sometimes I wish I never set sight on this place." Adele and her fellow committee members were mandated at the general meeting of residents to pursue a list of demands.

"First, we want a meeting with council officials and the builders. We want all outstanding complaints to be addressed and faults repaired. We want this done before the builder hands over the houses because we believe the council hasn't the resources to do the work. There is also the question of compensation for damages to our fittings and furniture and the reimbursement of costs suffered by some residents in hiring tradespeople to fix things. Another major issue is that there is nobody available out of office hours to carry out emergency work."

Lisa Farrell, also a member of the committee, said: "We have being complaining to the council for nine months and nothing is done. We got no support from anyone until the Sinn Féin team arrived and helped us get organised. We are now going to fight for our rights. What are we paying rent to the council for if we have substandard housing?"

Councillor O'Connor has already had some success from representations on behalf of individual residents to council officials. "The council has responded in some cases by blaming the residents," he says. "It says ventilation is in accordance with regulations, yet in one case I pursued it installed extra vents. Regarding cracks, it advises that people keep the heating low for the first few months. It also says that the level of complaints is normal in a new housing development. It is a disgrace that public money is being paid out for substandard work and that local authority residents are being asked to put up with it."

Gama Construction is engaged in other council contracts in the area. "We have to see that builders meet their obligations to the council, not just in this terrible example, but in all cases," says O'Connor. "I have put a motion down in the council to oblige contractors to engage with residents, councillors and the media."

Contacted by An Phoblacht this week, a spokesperson for Gama said that the complaints outlined were "a matter for the council" and that the company had "nothing further to say".