Concerns over the future of historic De La Salle lands
By Maurice Garvey
THE sale of historic lands at De La Salle in Ballyfermot has fuelled much speculation and anger in the area.
Who bought it off the De La Salle Brothers, and what will become of the site, remains unclear as the sale has yet to be registered.
WATCH ?: The Echo visited the historic lands at De La Salle in #Ballyfermot, which has been been broken into and vandalised a number of times, whilst @DubFireBrigade have been out to the monastery to put out fires and deal with flooding at the building. pic.twitter.com/6WbBe2x4Xi
— The Echo Newspaper (@TheEchoOnline) September 26, 2018
A range of queries last week led nowhere, with one successful businessman dismissing rumours linking his group to the site.
One thing local councillors are clear on however, is that the monastery will not survive, as it has been virtually destroyed by vandals over the last 10 days.
They have called for Dublin City Council to take immediate action to protect the site.
The land encompassing the monastery, De La Salle National School and surrounding GAA playing pitches, is worth millions – one of the largest available land banks in the constituency.
De La Salle school – the first school to open in Ballyfermot in 1952 with 380 students – is due to close in June when the last group of sixth classes graduate.
In July, the two remaining brothers at De La Salle were moved to St John’s Monastery on Le Fanu Road, after the death of Brother Philbert Egan.
However, over the last week De La Salle monastery has been broken into and vandalised a number of times, whilst Dublin Fire Brigade have been out to put out fires and deal with flooding at the building.
“I’m furious with the developer, we need to be told what is going on,” said Councillor Vincent Jackson, who estimates the site to be in the region of 14.1 acres.
“People know nobody is there. Last Thursday, I saw a horse and cart with 40 bags of rubbish, throwing them over the wall. On two occasions in recent nights they have attempted to burn down the monastery building.
“This is a taste of what is to come, and what the school will have to deal with, unless we have a proper transition.”
Cllr Hazel de Nortuin said the council need to move in and board up the property immediately.
She said: “I was down there this morning (Wednesday, September 19) and every single window and door was kicked in. The gate is off it’s hinges. It is completely abandoned and a playground for kids. We have a week left before it is completely destroyed.”
At the area meeting on Wednesday, September 19, area manager Bruce Philips said the monastery building was “at risk and in need of immediate repairs”.
To much consternation by councillors, he said city planners deemed the building to not be of important historical value.
Should the city council be able to contact the new owners, he said they would do what they can to protect the long-term sustainability of the site.
Cllr Jackson has asked DCC to consider utilising the monastery and it’s 19 bedrooms as a temporary 12 month homeless hub.
Last week, Dublin City Council told The Echo they expressed an interest in buying part of the site last year.
Enquiries were made with the agent handling the sale, however, DCC said this was premature at the time as the property was not on the market.
John McBride, from De La Salle GAA Club, told The Echo they have an agreement with the Brothers on a “rolling basis” for the use of pitches on the grounds for adult and junior teams.
Whether the club will be allowed to remain using the pitches is unclear at this stage.
During a Dáil debate in July, TD Brid Smith asked Education Minister Richard Bruton to consider acquiring the site for Educate Together and Gaelscoil facilities, “neither of which are available in this highly populated area”.
Deputy Smith noted the high levels of capacity at Ballyfermot schools and said it was one area of Dublin where social housing is being built, and “demand for school places will increase”.
In response, Minister Bruton said there were no plans for a different patron body at the site.
The Minister said the property is not in the ownership of the Department of Education.
People Before Profit have organised a public meeting on October 3.
The land in De La Salle is currently zoned planning Objective Z15 in the Dublin City Development Plan 2016-2022 to protect and provide for institutional and community uses.
The De La Brothers would not respond to calls from The Echo last week.
The Echo understands property agents Savills are handling the sale of the land bank – however a representative did not respond to queries at the time of going to print.
