Residents of one of Dublin's most deprived areas, St Michael's Estate in Inchicore, will today launch a campaign opposing the city council's plans to sell the estate to private developers.
Campaign organisers claim Dublin City Council has broken its promise to regenerate the estate by opting instead for a Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
An €80 million plan to demolish the tower blocks on the site and replace them with low-rise public, affordable and private housing had been worked out with residents.
However, late last year, the Department of Environment refused to sanction these plans because of financial constraints, and told the council to use a PPP approach instead.
Under the PPP, the site will be sold to developers who will build a proportion of social housing to be sold back to the council, while the rest is developed for private housing.
The Save the St Michaels/Inchicore Community Regeneration Plan claims the PPP is being decided "behind closed doors" with no consultation and will result in huge profit incentives for private developers. The lucrative 14-acre St Michael's Estate is strategically located near the LUAS line to Tallaght.
According to Mr Gerry Folan, the council's area manager for Inchicore, the old plan was "not sustainable" for cost reasons and the PPP will "fast-track" the development.
"While the plan in its current format will not now proceed, the commitment to an effective regeneration of St Michael's Estate is unchanged." Among the speakers at today's launch is Professor P.J.Drudy who recently called on the State to stop selling off social housing.
