Calls for OPW to reverse planned sell-off of residential land

dublin | housing | press release

Tuesday October 23, 2018 22:05

by wp - Workers Party

Press Release - Workers Party Oct 2018

A Workers’ Party councillor has called on the OPW to reverse its decision to sell two residential sites which it owns in Dublin city. The sites are due to be auctioned by Lambert Smith Hampton on November 6th.

Cllr. Éilis Ryan said:
“It is extraordinary that at the height of the housing crisis, we wake up to yet another story of the state selling off the family silver – when land for housing is so desperately needed.

“The two sites being sold on November 6th are small, but if kept in public hands, could be used for infill step-down accommodation for older people, freeing up public housing units, something which all agree is badly needed. Why has this option not been considered?”

The councillor continued:
“Just last June, Dublin City Council passed a motion calling on the Minister to direct the OPW to hand residential land over to Dublin City Council for development. I would like to know, did the council management deal with this motion with urgency? And why, if so, did the Minister choose to ignore it, and allow yet another land sale instead?

“In tackling the housing crisis, the key asset which the state has to work with is the land it owns. Once this is gone, any possible solution will be doubly difficult to achieve.”

Cllr. Ryan concluded by saying:
“I am calling on the Minister to intervene and ensure the OPW halts this proposed auction – and any further sale of public land in the Dublin area. Neither Glasnevin nor Ballsbridge are in need of yet another luxury penthouse development. Public housing is what’s needed, and only the state can deliver that.”

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See also :

681 public housing units lost due to Kilcarbery land sell-off
Press Release - 8th Oct 2018

David Gardiner, Workers’ Party representative for Lucan, has criticised Fianna Fáil and Labour councillors on South Dublin County Council for voting with Fine Gael to sell-off public land in Kilcarbery, and has called for publicly-owned land to be used for public housing.

“It’s clear that Fianna Fáil and Labour jumped on the bandwagon last week by supporting the Raise The Roof rally for the sake of publicity,” said Gardiner. “And yet here we see councillors from both parties voting to sell-off public land to private developers. I believe this site should be kept in the ownership of the council to build public housing.”

“When the time comes for a photo opportunity or a sound bite, Fianna Fáil and Labour are all for ending this crisis, but when they can actually make a difference by voting to keep public land, they come up short of it.”

Gardiner continued:

“There are roughly 8,000 people on the waiting list in South Dublin. Alongside that, the vast majority of people not on the list are also not able to afford to buy private housing. The Workers’ Party calls for public housing, with rent based on income, to be built on this site and others owned by the state. This would address the needs of both those on the waiting list, and those who aren’t on the list but can’t afford to buy.”

Gardiner concluded:

“So-called affordable housing isn’t the solution to this crisis. By Fine Gael’s definition, you’d have to earn double the average household income to be able to purchase “affordable housing.”

“We need to stop the sell-off of public land, and to make public housing available to all of those who need it and want it.”

Src: http://workersparty.ie/681-public-housing-units-lost-due-to-kilca...-off/

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Calls for OPW to reverse planned sell-off of residential land