Metro plans to demolish 8 homes who have not been consulted

Labour Senator Kevin Humphreys has declared the planned eviction of eight families and the demolition of eight Local Authority homes on Townsend Street as ‘a disgrace’ and has called on the Ministers for Transport, and Housing, to explain why these residents are only being notified now while residents along other parts of the purposed line were consulted with for the last year such as was seen in Ranelagh.

Sen. Humphreys said;

“It has come to light, on the back of enquires I have made to the NTA, that this morning eight families in Local Authority homes on Townsend Street are to be given notice of the planned demolition of their homes. These are eight, purpose built local authority homes, with residents on guaranteed lifetime tendencies.

“It is unbelievable, truly, that any government body would plan the demolition of social housing in the middle of a housing crisis, to facilitate one part of a public transport project.

“To have published a public consultation plan a year ago and not notify the residents, therefore making it impossible for them to lodge observations to these plans makes the entire public consultation process for this project fraudulent.

“The NTA and TTI have treated these families in an abysmal fashion. The eviction of residence and destruction of their homes in Dublin South Inner City, along with College Gate, is something which I would countenance would not be seen in other communities.

“To give no notice to families during a public consultation that their homes are to be the collateral damage of a public transport project is something that would not happen in Donnybrook, Blackrock or Castleknock.

“South Inner City communities are deserving of as much respect, and as much decent treatment by public bodies as anyone else. Their homes and their neighborhoods cannot, and should not be, bulldozed for expediency and with no adequate notice.”