Homeless people have been moved out of two protected structures in Dublin’s Temple Bar due to concerns over the structural stability of the buildings.
The properties are owned by a company associated with former Monaghan GAA football manager Séamus “Banty” McEnaney and were being used under contract to the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) to provide accommodation.
Dublin Fire Brigade was alerted on Thursday evening following reports of an “unstable parapet” at the adjoining 18th century buildings at 24/25 Parliament Street, the location of Bridge House guest house. Large cracks were visible in the facade of the building and sections of plasterwork were missing.
A fire engine and district officer were dispatched, Dublin City Council said, and the scene was handed over to the local authority’s dangerous buildings unit at 8.30pm on Thursday.
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A section of the street in front of the buildings was cordoned off with steel fencing, leaving a narrow gap close to the opposite footpath to accommodate the passage of bicycles.
Bridge House is owned by Corduff JG Enterprises, a McEnaney group company, which has its offices next door on the corner of Parliament Street and Essex Street.
Dublin City Council, which has responsibility for DRHE, said on Friday that residents were moved to alternative accommodation on Thursday evening.
The council’s dangerous buildings inspector and a structural engineer representing the owner of the buildings attended the site on Friday, the local authority said.
“Following the inspection, the building is not considered to be in danger of collapse and the precautionary fencing may be removed,” the council said.
“The structural engineer for the building owner has undertaken to monitor the building for any movement or loose items, pending erection of a full scaffolding next week.”
Although homeless people were living in the building, it has been undergoing significant construction work since last year.
In March last year Corduff JG Enterprises was granted planning permission by the council to increase the number of bedrooms at Bridge House by converting part of the ground floor, previously in use as a restaurant.
The work also included the demolition of a number of walls and the replacement of staircases, as well as other internal and external works to the protected structures, and the construction of kitchen and dining facilities in the basement.
In the planning application, planners representing Corduff said the addition of four bedrooms to the existing 19 room guest house would “assist in alleviating pressure on the hospitality sector” in the area.
“We contend that there is a market and a need for such facilities at this location in Dublin city and that the provision of same will aid in creating an added tourism-related draw,” Hughes Planning and Development Consultants said in the application.
Companies owned by the McEnaney family were paid €35.6 million by the council last year for providing emergency accommodation to homeless people in Dublin.
Séamus McEnaney and Corduff did not respond to queries on Friday.
An employee at the Parliament Street offices of the McEnaney group, who was a keyholder of Bridge House but declined to give his name, said queries in relation to the buildings should be directed to the council.
The council has not said how many homeless people were living in Bridge House, how long they had been accommodated in the buildings, which are surrounded by construction hoardings, or if they will be moving back.
On Friday the council was holding a day of festivities on Parliament Street – involving street theatre, circus acts, music and market stalls – to mark the first anniversary of the removal of vehicular traffic from the street.
The events were held at the southern end of the street, away from Bridge House, which is at Parliament Street’s northwestern end near the Liffey quays.
