Council to apply to take over St Maelruain’s derelict houses

FOUR derelict houses in St Maelruain’s Park that have been classed as “eye sores” will be applied to be taken in ownership by South Dublin County Council in the coming weeks.

The four houses are adjacent to Mountain Park and have been vacant and boarded-up for several years.

Back in October, local councillor Charlie O’Connor referred to the houses as “a blight on the local community” and stated that action was needed urgently.

At a recent area committee meeting for Tallaght, councillor Cathal King called on the council for an update on the houses and detail what measures have been carried out.

“I was pushing them on and asking the council to get things moving on it because it has been going on for so long,” said Cllr King. “They were deemed derelict a while ago and there are signs on the front of the houses.

“At the meeting I was given a firm commitment that within the next couple of weeks the council will be applying to acquire the houses under the derelict sites act, so the council will be in ownership of them then.

“It is really positive, and I am absolutely delighted with it because it has been going on years and obviously it is an eyesore, but they can become houses for people.”

According to Cllr King, the properties have been derelict for over eight years and many residents have contacted him and other local councillors about them.

“They were only built and there were people renting them for a while and then whatever happened with the banks or something like that they were boarded up,” said Cllr King.

“I have been raising it as an issue even before I even started representing Tallaght Central. Anything under the derelict sites act can take time but they are at that point now that in the next few weeks they will be applying to acquire them.”