Councillors clash after learning of 114 more units at Stonemount Park

Councillors began to clash after learning of the provision of a further 114 housing units for Stonemount Park, a large housing development located on Ballyfermot Road.

The Iveagh Trust, an Approved Housing Body, currently manage 418 homes in Stonemount Park, which sparked concern for Councillor Vincent Jackson in particular, who wondered, “At what point do we reach saturation point?”

Cllr Jackson explained that when the original plans for the development were shared, there was a “strong expectation” that a proportion of homes would be offered on the private market to create a social mix, yet “so far there’s been no mix on that site,” he said.

“I don’t think we’ll be doing the people in the wider area and in the development any favours in the future to have 900 plus social units there without what I believe is robust estate management which is needed in a lot of our flat complexes.”

Cllr Jackson stated that he is “worried” about estate management in relation to the large number of social housing developments that continue to shoot up around the South-Central area.

“I’m just trying to ensure that we don’t replicate the mistakes of the past.”

Councillor Darragh Moriarty contended that social housing is necessary now more than ever due to the housing crisis and the lengthy waitlists that families and individuals have been on for years and claimed that Cllr Jackson was calling for “less social housing” in his area.

“It’s very disappointing to hear a Councillor call for less social housing in their area when we know our lists are bursting.”

“There are hundreds, thousands of homes in the pipeline, and I support every single one of them. We need to be thinking of those people, the list they’re waiting on, and that their lives were completely put on hold because of the housing insecurity they live with.”

Cllr Jackson hit back and referred to the “thousands” of social housing developments that he has supported through the years as a Councillor.

“I’ve been around here long enough to see many flat complexes that have had to be demolished because of our lack of an inability to manage them properly.

“We do have a housing crisis. We are most definitely stepping up to the mark in my community to alleviate that in some shape or form.”

Cllr Jackson went on to mention the slow-moving waitlists that seem to stand still regardless of the number of homes built, which does not “help the cause for elected members” as they are unable to move people who have been waiting multiple years for a home further up the list.

Councillor Hazel de Nortúin supported Cllr Jackson’s point and agreed that “meaningful” action is needed to ensure the housing that is being provided to people is sustainable, referring to residents who have moved into units and are then, “evicted within the six-month period by the AHBs because they can’t sustain their tenancy.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme