War of words erupts between Labour and Sinn Féin over new houses plan
By Maurice Garvey
A SPAT erupted this week between two Clondalkin representatives over proposals for an infill housing development at Lett’s Field in Neilstown – with Labour TD Robert Dowds accusing Sinn Féin councillor Eoin Ó Broin of “political cowardice”.
As reported in The Echo on August 13, Sinn Féin councillors O Broin and Jonathan Graham submitted an alternative proposal to the part 8 process for Lett’s Field – which contains plans for 48 homes.
The Sinn Féin duo proposed an alternative of 15-20 homes – to allow the community keep a full-size football pitch on a field, and to ensure an autism unit at St Peter Apostles Junior School is not disturbed.
The proposal also calls for the relocation of any houses lost in the plans, to be added to proposed developments close to Kilcarberry and Old Church.
Labelling the proposal “populist rubbish”, Deputy Dowds said people on the housing list “will suffer because of it.”
Deputy Dowds said: “On one hand, Sinn Féin is saying that more action needs to be done to tackle the housing crisis.
Labour has provided money for 50 social housing units to be built at Lett’s Field, to house 50 families in need. Now Sinn Féin want the number of houses being built to be reduced from 50 to 15.
He continued: “In a recent edition of a local newspaper, Eoin Ó Broin was talking about the scale of the housing crisis in one article, and in another article proposing reducing the number of new houses being built at Lett’s Field for those on the housing list and homeless people. That kind of hypocrisy just speaks for itself.”
Whilst appreciating that local people are “upset that the field is being built on” Dowds feels “the scale of the housing crisis is simply too great” and cites nearby Collinstown Park as an alternative amenity.
Speaking in response to Deputy Dowds, Sinn Féin Councillor Eoin Ó Broin said: “I welcome Deputy Dowds newfound interest in the housing crisis in Clondalkin. Unfortunately, as usual, he has got his facts wrong.
“Sinn Féin fully supports the council’s new social housing strategy. In fact, we have been calling on central government to release extra funding to build more social housing than the current plan allows.”
Ó Broin continued: “Unfortunately, due to government cuts to social housing funding, which Deputy Dowds voted for, South Dublin County Council has been unable to build a single house since Fine Gael and Labour took office.”
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