St Michaels Estate says- 'We're not going away!'

dublin | housing | news report

Tuesday October 07, 2008 18:19

by Paula Geraghty

mspgeraghty at yahoo dot ie

Communities campaignt to have housing bailed out as government underwrite the Banks but neglect people

Protests continue outside Dublin City Council by communities by communities betrayed by property developers.

handing out leaflets

St. Michael’s Estate is organised a protest at City Hall on Monday the 6th October at 6.00pm to express their anger at the inaction and confusion caused by the Minister for Housing Michael’s Finneran and Dublin City Council. Angry locals protested with O ‘Devaney Gardens & Dominic Street to coincide with the Dublin City Council meeting scheduled for 7.00pm.

Since the collapse of St Michael’s Estate regeneration plan with McNamara/Castlethorn construction on 19th May Dublin City Council has taken no decisive action to resolve the issue. Speaking about the protest, Rita Fagan a member of the Regeneration Team said
“We are furious with the Minister, he caused great confusion and panic among residents last week when he announced on RTE’s Prime Time that he had set up a new Task Force to deal with issues, secondly he said his priority is to rehouse residents and thirdly he said he is in talks with the 2nd bidder Corcoran Jennison. People are livid as each action contradicts the other”.

Rita went on to say “It is obvious the Minster is not listening to residents and locals. We don’t need a second Task Force we had one already and disbanded it in favour of the current Board. Residents want to live on St Michaels Estate and have spent 10 years working in consultation with Dublin City for the social and physical regeneration of the estate. They want their homes and local facilities. Finally if the government can not get the second bidder to sign a deal to build St Michael’s then let the government fund the project.”

Speaking about the protest Dr John Bissett, Member of St Michaels Regeneration Team and author of the forthcoming book Regeneration, Public Good or Private Profit said, “People are taking to the streets because the government are deliberately doing nothing. Our first regeneration plan was drawn up in consultation locals and Dublin City Council. The government funded the first phase which was on time and on budget and over 50 families moved to new houses. But the Department of the Environment with drew funds saying that PPP was the only way forward. Not a brick has been laid since we adopted PPP. Yet it has taken years and cost over €20 million”.

The agreed PPP Regeneration plan includes the 14 acre site at St Michael’s Estate with houses and local amenities. Michael’s Estate Regeneration Team work with and on behalf of the residents in the regeneration process. For more information please see www.stmichaelsestate.ie . People can be contacted also at: info@stmichaelsestate.ie
images (c) Paula Geraghty

Further coverage on indymedia.ie:
https://www.indymedia.ie/openwire?search_text=St+Michae...0&y=0
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/87727?comment_limit=0&c...40046

The Lord Mayor of Dublin met with people on the way in

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Comments (8 of 8)

he deserves to be destitute for what he did

by No sympathy

Sat Jan 16, 2010 07:49

This guy ran up a debt of 1.5 billion and the likelihood is he won't do a day in prison. Meanwhile you or I would do time for not paying our TV licence. His debt will sit on the shoulders of our children for many years to come. Yet he gets to cry for 5 minutes on prime time TV to elicit sympathy for his plight so we'll go easy on him and his ilk when they try to let them off. Fuck that crap. Stick him in prison and confiscate everything he owns to pay off the debt just like they do when you are a poor person.
Greedy people like him make me sick.

Positive light

by R.U Forreal - Citizen

Fri Jan 15, 2010 05:35

We all must learn to present ourselves in a more positive light.............

There is not much light shining through the boarded up windows of O Devenney Gdns or St Michaels Est thanks to McNamara,this inconsiderate all for the rich government and the incompetency of Dublin City Council.

I wont shed a tear for the McNamaras of this world.The neck of him whinging on live public broadcast about losing millions,how unfortunate while communities lie broken,their dreams and hopes in tatters around their feet,real people,many people.

How ironic would it be if he actually lost his house in exclusive Ailesbury Road and found himself and his family living in O Devenney Gdns.Maybe some of the dignity and spirit of the community might remind him of where he came from in the first place.

'My head is on the plate says builder i.e Euros 1.5 bn

by Blake - Plain People of Ireland

Thu Jan 14, 2010 16:39

St. Michael's Estate. Well done with your postings.

Yes, it appears from today's papers that McNamara may be coerced by the Supreme Court to repay Davy Stockbrokers clients i.e. Naughton, Quinlan and possibly others who bought into a 'private equity type vehicle'.

Nama is a vehicle and there are lots of these around these days. At the end of the day it is about Bankers trying to make money for investors at above the ordinary bank deposit rates. It is all about people willing to take risk and as always some get caught in the swell; while others make it big and then end up bankrupt, stripped of all acolade, wealth, family homes, assets, art, cars, etc.

Who are we hanging out to dry?

Maybe we are lucky that Mr. McNamara now retired from Michael McNamara and Co. decided to call a halt to the Private Public Partnership. At least now if the company goes under, the government are free to find an alternative developer or even provide accommodation elsewhere under social housing schemes, without any threat of foreclosures or bankruptcy.

Meantime, we must not forget that builders like McNamara started out in the depressed 1950's Ireland and it was entreprenneurs like his father, himself, the Gallagher brothers, their sons, and of course their often questionable links to FF politics that economically constructed the Ireland we have today.

Nama has bought a portfolio of assets. Now they must sell these wilting flowers for as much money as they can get.

We all must learn to market ourselves in a more positive light.

Blake

Bernard McNamara

by nama na

Thu Jan 14, 2010 15:39

Former Fianna Fáil councillor and property developer Bernard McNamara has admitted that he is "broke" and will probably have to sell his house to pay off creditors.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8458667.stm - BBC News - 'Broke' Irish developer Bernard McNamara has £1bn debt.

Maybe he should be offered a flat in O'Devanny Gardens.

Project being talked about on pat kenny at present

by dunk

Mon Jan 19, 2009 10:47

rte radio 1
http://www.rte.ie/radio/index.html

also

by Mr Alan Corcoran. - public

Fri Oct 10, 2008 15:49

Best o' Luck to you all and demand your rights

Final set of images

Tue Oct 07, 2008 18:27

Images (c)