Dublin South East Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Doolan to table Emergency housing motion

Published: 2 October, 2005

Dublin Sinn Féin Councillor Daithí Doolan will be tabling an Emergency Motion at tomorrow's City Council meeting, "calling on the government not to sell the site at the former UCD Veterinary College in Ballsbridge, but instead to give it to Dublin City Council for much needed housing."

Speaking today Cllr. Doolan said, "it unacceptable that the government intends to simply sell this site to the highest bidder at a time when the capital is facing a housing crisis. The land worth an estimated over 100 million euros should be used to provide or to finance social housing here in Dublin. This land is owned by the tax payer and should not simply be sold off to the highest bidder for hotels or private apartments. It is another example of the government selling off our resources to their allies in big business.

"The average cost of building a house in the capital is 100,000 euros and the land is expected to sell for at least 100million euros. This means that if the Government gave the land to Dublin City Council we would now be in a position to provide 1,000 social and affordable houses in Dublin and ease the growing housing crisis. But it seems the Government would rather sell the land to a private developer than solve the housing crisis.

" I have worked with homeless groups to ensure this gross hypocrisy does not go unnoticed. In tabling this emergency motion at tomorrow's City Council it is the start of a campaign to pressurise the government into taking action to tackle homelessness. To date the track record of the Minister Noel Ahern has been appalling, 3 homeless people have recently died on our streets, what message does the sale of this land send out to their families and those seeking housing. I am committed to turning this sale around and ensuring that the land is used to meet the needs of people and not simply the needs of private developers. "

In conclusion, Cllr. Doolan called on, "people to attend the protest against the sale of this valuable land at City Hall tomorrow 6pm."

Emergency Motion: "That this City Council calls on the government not to sell the former UCD Veterinary College, Dublin 4 but instead hand it over to Dublin City Council with a view to alleviating the housing crisis in the City."