Residents in one of Dublin's oldest flat complexes twice as likely to have asthma and other breathing problems

Tue, 23 Jan, 2024 - 07:00

Paul Hosford

Residents in one of Dublin's oldest remaining flat complexes are twice as likely to have asthma and other breathing problems, a new study has found.

An analysis of respiratory health in a Dublin Inner City General Practice, published by Trinity College Dublin School of Medicine, shows that even adjusting for whether a patient had a medical card or not, Oliver Bond House residents were "still 1.9 times as likely to have evidence for asthma in their medical records as other patients in the same practice”.

The Respiratory Health Among Residents of Oliver Bond House report follows on from an earlier report on physical conditions in the complex, published in 2021 which highlighted the inadequacy of the physical buildings themselves.

In total, 82.8% of residents report issues with mould and damp in their homes, over one in three residents (35%) also reported sewage problems, over 30% have water coming into their homes and over 55% of residents have been told by a medical practitioner that damp, mould or sewage is contributing to ill-health in their families.

“We are literally sick waiting, physically and mentally,” said Gayle Cullen, chairperson of the Oliver Bond Residents’ Group.

“People are living with considerable damp and mould. Most of the windows are ill-fitting, old, and draughty. It’s impossible to keep the flats warm which puts an extra cost on residents along with the health burden.

"Older people and children particularly are really vulnerable to the effects of the cold, damp and mould spores.

"The Trinity School of Medicine report is great as it supports what we have been saying for years. These flats are hurting our health.

"It is hard to believe that levels of asthma are twice as high for people living in Oliver Bond House as they are for people elsewhere and it’s hard to believe that this sort of data was not available or acted on before now."

Rose Wall, chief executive of Community Law & Mediation, said that the "substandard living conditions endured by residents of the Oliver Bond flats highlight the need for proper enforcement of existing local authority obligations and a stronger recognition of the right to adequate housing in our Constitution"

"Adequate housing that is, at a minimum, fit for human habitation is fundamental to the vindication of other rights such as the right to health and the right to a healthy environment.”

The authors say that the purpose of the report is to "describe the distribution of health problems and services in local communities".

They add that the report "does not prove that the housing conditions reported by residents at Oliver Bond House are causing asthma" but that the two reports show that residents have more recorded asthma than others living locally, and that they report housing conditions that other studies have shown to cause respiratory ill health.

Oliver Bond House is one of the oldest and largest flat complexes in Dublin City.

Situated between the River Liffey and the Liberties in the southwest inner city, it was built in 1936.

Plans for regeneration of the complex in Dublin 8 were announced in October 2021.

However, residents say there has been "little progress" on the project to date and a 15 – 20 year timeline is being forecast.

“We are realistic,” says Ms Cullen.

“We know that regeneration can’t happen overnight but we just can’t be asked to wait another 20 years for it to be completed while an entire generation is forced to live in dire, unsafe conditions that have a negative impact on their health. Many older residents will pass away in these conditions."

Ms Cullen says the group is asking Dublin County Council to fast-track regeneration plans and in the meantime to put in place vital interim improvements.