Cllr. Éilis Ryan
WP legal advice contradicts DCC chief executive. Ryan calls for publication of full figures and assessment.
Dublin City Council Chief Executive Brendan Kenny has requested that councillors overturn a motion passed at the last Dublin City Council meeting on July 27th, calling for 100% mixed income, public housing to be developed on the 16 hectare O’Devaney Gardens site in Dublin 7.
Councillor Éilis Ryan, who proposed the motion, has called Kenny’s intervention “an unacceptable infringement on the democratic mandate of city councillors,” and called on city councillors who supported her motion to make clear to Kenny that they intend to uphold it.
The councillor said that the reasons given for attempting to overturn the plan for public housing on the site do not stand up to scrutiny, saying
“The council has argued that the July motion will delay building on the site because it is in contradiction with existing planning. However, we have received clear legal advice that our motion is fully compatible with the existing planning permission.
“Meanwhile, the council’s argument that our “public housing for all” plan contradicts efforts to create mixed income communities does not hold up. On the contrary, our proposal specifically provides for a public housing system that will be accessed by both low and higher income earners – many of whom currently struggle to pay rent on the private market.
There is no reason why mixed income housing must be built only by private developers – we believe public housing should be accessible to all.”
The councillor has requested the city management publish the full figures and plans of its intentions for the O’Devaney Gardens site, in order to allow an accurate assessment.