Taoiseach tells residents of 'rave complex' he understands the challenges they face

Taoiseach Oliver Bond Flats Taoiseach Micheál Martin on a visit the Oliver Bond complex to meet with local community activists earlier today. Photo: Julien Behal. 

The Taoiseach has told residents of a Dublin flat complex where a rave party took place last week that he understands the "damage and difficulties and challenges" they face.

Speaking at the Oliver Bond Complex in Dublin 8, Micheál Martin said that the area would be regenerated during a visit made in light of the party held last week, which was widely criticised for breaching Covid regulations and is being investigated by gardaí. Mr Martin said that the regeneration of the area is "on the agenda over the coming years" as residents told him that many people within the complex have struggled in recent years.

"I’m taking the opportunity this morning to come here to see for myself the damage and the difficulties and the challenges facing the local residents here, which was in the news last week in relation to the rave party.

“But there are more significant issues for the community as well, involving the need for state resources to support the community here.

"Further assistance will be given in the short term, to try and provide a greater range of facilities for children and young people, particularly given the challenges in the wider area."

The Taoiseach said that efforts would be made to restore the play area and an astroturf soccer pitch.Photo: Julien Behal.

Mr Martin said that efforts would be made specifically to restore the play area on which the event, which saw around 100 people and a DJ party on an astroturf soccer pitch, with the input of the community.

Asked whether residents, who told the Taoiseach that they had consistently felt "left behind", could be optimistic that the regeneration of the area would be advanced in the short-term, Mr Martin said that they could.

"Regeneration by itself takes time, but they want immediate work in terms of improving the quality of life right now and over the next number of months.

"And that's something I've been focused on. I think it also speaks to a wider need to regenerate the type of initiatives we had before, around the RAPID programmes of the past where better coordination from agencies and from government departments resulted in areas such as this getting priority in terms of funding across different departments."

Mr Martin also said that it was too early to say whether Dublin's grading within the framework could be downgraded or if the Level Three restrictions will continue for longer than the originally planned three weeks. Mr Martin said that it was clear that behaviour has to change.

"First of all, I would say that there is an absolute need for people to reduce their social contacts. And then the next 10 days will be critical.

"We are aware of counties like Donegal and others, where the numbers are going in the wrong direction, but also I've been speaking to the CMO and we are concerned about large urban areas and cities and particularly Waterford, Cork, Limerick and Galway.

"The situations for those cities is critical over the next 10 days and behaviour has to change quite frankly. People would have to reduce their social contacts, so quickly in the wrong direction.

"And it's imperative that action is taken now both collectively and as individuals. And in those particular locations to get the numbers down and get the numbers stabilised."

The Taoiseach said that it was too early to say if further restrictions will be needed in Dublin. Photo: Julien Behal 

The Taoiseach said that the capital was still in the first week of restrictions and it was too early to say if further restrictions will be needed. He said that he was conscious that colleges would be returning students in the coming weeks and this added to the need for young people to limit their social contacts.

"We're conscious also that with the return of universities and institutes technologies, whereas they will not have the same numbers on campus, nonetheless the concentration of new cases is quite significant and the 18 to 34 age bracket. 

"And that's a matter of concern to public health advisors. So that will be very important - college life will not be the normal in terms of what happened before Covid and in terms of social activities."

Mr Martin also said that the government would examine issues around social welfare and the Pandemic Unemployment Payment in the Budget. He said that the government was looking at research into "poverty-proofing" welfare rates.