As the government blocks funding for major social-housing projects, FF and FG councillors point fingers at ministers
As many as 1,325 social homes in Dublin city are at an advanced stage, with planning granted – but now with no clear funding.
Harry Murphy, whose back garden borders the car park, says he wishes the CCTV was still there. “There’s been carpets dumped there – a whole kitchen once.”
The sensors they tried installing didn’t always fit well, ran out of batteries, and had connectivity problems.
On a local WhatsApp group in Dublin 8, neighbours try to ensure that stuff that’s still useable keeps getting used, rather than being thrown in the bin.
A council spokesperson says it’s trying to keep the centre open, but if it can’t, it will be “challenging” to find an immediate replacement.
The next step is to apply for planning permission to build a wall to stop new debris and rubbish from being tipped onto the site, councillors were told earlier this week.
A recent report from the Institute of Public Administration says councillors can’t legally take back control of waste-collection without it.
The pilot programme would also aim to reduce carbon emissions by flagging the bins that need attention, and choosing the most efficient routes to visit them.
Previously, the council could not fine or prosecute someone for illegal dumping using an image of their face from CCTV that caught them in the act.
These were among the issues Dublin city councillors discussed at Monday’s meeting of the North Central Area Committee.
The council would spend approximately €10 million to remove the waste and build a wall around the site, said Dublin City Council’s chief executive, Owen Keegan.
“The scale of the problem and the health risks involved require immediate action,” said the minutes of a meeting of government officials in June 2020.