Housing

Housing remains a particular concern for the residents of the North East Inner City. With the ongoing development of the area there is ever decreasing space for the local population with a huge amount of office space being built. Dublin City Council is replacing and upgrading existing social housing stock and the regeneration process has raised new issues and concerns.

Some of the issues include:

  • The selling off of individual publicly owned sites
  • Transferring ownership of public housing to the voluntary sector.
  • Continuing frustrations with low levels of maintenance and the running down of individual estates
  • Increasing reliance on private landlords to house vulnerable people and families on low incomes
  • Regeneration schemes for flat complexes that are being carried out using Public Private Partnerships rather than traditional methods of direct provision.

ICON currently works with residents in the following areas:

  • Avondale House
  • Ballybough House
  • Ballybough and District
  • Clarion Quay
  • Croke Villas
  • Dominick St.
  • Gardiner St Flats
  • Georges Place
  • Hardwicke St
  • Killarney Ave/ Court
  • Liberty House
  • Lourdes House
  • Matt Talbot Court
  • North William St
  • O'Brien Hall
  • Rutland Court
  • St Mary's Mansions
  • Summerhill Place
  • The Kiln
  • Tolka Road
  • The Forge

Regeneration

Currently ICON is engaged with Dominick Street Residents and Croke Villas residents as they undergo the process of regeneration.

Tenants First have published 'The Real Guide to Regeneration for Communities, Making the Right Decision About Urban Regeneration'. The document is based on experiences in local areas who are undergoing or have experienced regeneration and outlines some of the issues and concerns with which residents may be faced.
Copies of The Real Guide to Regeneration for Communities are available from the ICON office.

Dublin City Council and Housing

Area Integrated Plan

The North East Inner City Integrated Area Plan is Dublin City Council's plan for outlines some of Dublin City Council's plans for housing in the ICON area.

Vision: "...to rejuvenate one of Dublin's most deprived areas, building on its unique character and strengths to create an area where people and families would choose to live, work and invest for the future"

The plan was created in 1998 following consultation with the community and among the objectives of the plan are:

  • Improve housing conditions and provide a wider choice
  • Enhance community health and safety and reduce vandalism and crime
  • Improve the image performance and environmental quality of the area
  • Improve community facilities, building on arts, cultural and heritage initiatives
  • Stimulate local business development and community enterprise
  • Ensure co-ordination and integration of initiatives through local participation
  • Encourage private development of benefit to the community by means of tax incentives

Achievements of the plan include:

  • New facilities delivered
  • Refurbished park & playground at the Diamond
  • New Arts & Dance Centre at Liberty Corner
  • Provision of two buildings for childcare at Buckingham Street and Liberty Corner
  • Provision of more than 800 new apartments in the north east inner city
  • Numerous new offices have been constructed; companies such as Bank of Ireland Treasury Holdings, Bord Gais, Irish Independent Newspapers and Saint Vincent de Paul have occupied several of these buildings.

Refurbished Housing

Nearly all of the major social housing complexes have been or will shortly be completely refurbished

  • Killarney Court
  • Lourdes House
  • Mountain view Court
  • Sean Treacy House
  • Liberty House

Future Developments

  • Construction work begins on new site for school on Sean McDermott Street
  • New Civic Centre on Sean McDermottStreet
  • New Sports and Leisure Complex

A Monitoring Committee was established to monitor progress on the Implementation of the IAP; provide guidance on how delays or barriers to implementation can be eliminated and adopt an on-going pro-active role throughout the period of the IAP. Sarah Kelleher is the ICON representative on the Monitoring Committee and Bernie Walshe and Terry Fagan were both elected by Community Groups.

ICON will continue to monitor and keep pressure on Dublin City Council to fulfil the plans outlined in the Integrated Area Plan. In addition to being represented on the Monitoring Committee, ICON holds quarterly meetings with Charlie Lowe, the Area Manager in order to receive updates on the progress and highlight any other important issues.

Please contact ICON if you have an issue that you would like addressed at the meetings with Charlie Lowe.

Precinct Improvements Programme

The overall aim of the Precincts Improvement programme is to upgrade high-density housing complexes that have become rundown in recent years. Complexes that have benefited in the ICON area include:

  • North Clarence Street
  • North William Street
  • Avondale House