Priory Hall residents' candlelight vigil marks second Christmas out of homes

» Mark Moloney

Not one of the five Government local TDs (three Labour Party and two Fine Gael) made an appearance at the Priory Hall vigil

150 former residents of Priory Hall held a candlelight vigil outside the apartment complex in north Dublin on Monday night to mark a second Christmas out of their homes.

Residents were evacuated from the complex in October 2011 after serious safety problems were discovered, leading to the development being condemned as a firetrap. Since then they have been living in temporary accommodation paid for by Dublin City Council (DCC). DCC are challenging a ruling compelling them to pay for the residents to stay in NAMA-owned properties. If DCC are successful, it will mean former residents will be forced to continue paying mortgages for homes they can no longer live in while also trying to pay rent.

Work to fix the properties ended shortly after the evacuation and Coalport Building Company has since gone bust.

At the vigil were local Sinn Féin Councillor Mícheál Mac Donncha, Independent TD Finian McGrath and Labour Councillor Brian McDowell.

Residents’ committee spokesperson Graham Usher was critical that only one of the six TDs for the Dublin Bay North area attended the vigil. Not one of the five Government local TDs (three Labour Party and two Fine Gael) made an appearance at the event. Graham Usher reminded the people of Priory Hall:

“Remember that when you needed them, they were nowhere to be seen.”

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