People Before
Profit public representatives in Dublin 8 expressed disgust this evening at the
decision to grant planning permission for a shared working and co living scheme
at the Fumbally site in Dublin 8.
Commenting on the
decision Brid Smith TD said: ‘The timing of this decision could not be less
appropriate. In the past few weeks we have seen the collapse of the short term
rental market and the lengths local authorities have had to go to so as to
ensure people living in emergency homeless accommodation could self isolate. It
is clear that the private market in housing cannot provide the solutions
necessary to solve the housing crisis. In a time when we are witnessing the
very detrminental effect poor housing can have on people’s lives, in some cases
life threatening, these kinds of housing solutions have to be wholly rejected’.
Adding to this
Cllr. Tina MacVeigh said:’The community response to this proposal was clear –
it is not the kind of housing that contributes to sustainable communities. It
is not the kind of housing that we can expect people to reasonably live in.
There was very strong local opposition to this and no doubt the community will
rally to organise themselves to submit an appeal despite the current
circumstances. With such a level of vocal opposition to this, one would have to
wonder about whether there is any democracy within the planning process. I
called on my fellow councillors in the South West Inner City to work with
myself and local residents to oppose this and we were united in our opposition.
I have already been in contact with local residents and will be calling on all
local public representatives to unite in opposition to this by way of appeal’.