'Shameful': Government scraps Oliver Bond flats regeneration

Government's decision to abandon regeneration of 1936 flats branded 'absurd, cruel, and a betrayal of this community'

Built in 1936, Oliver Bond House is one of the oldest and largest flat complexes in Dublin City. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

The Government has been accused of an "abhorrent" and "shameful" abandoning of residents of a flat complex in Dublin's south inner city.

The Department of Housing has opted not to fund the regeneration of the Oliver Bond complex over fears that the project would not be value for money and would lead to a reduction from 74 to 46 of the homes at the complex.

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.

Mould and damp

A 2024 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, 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.

'Cruel' 

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald called the department's move "cruel".

"Dublin City Council agreed a regeneration plan to deliver safe modern homes for local families but yesterday, the Government pulled the plug. 

"The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage blocked funding. Why? 

"It was because some overcrowded flats were to be amalgamated to make them big enough for families to live in because the Government chooses to keep them in small overcrowded flats. 

"Think about that. It is absurd, cruel, and a betrayal of this community."

'Disgraceful' 

Labour councillor Darragh Moriarty said it was a “disgraceful” and “tone deaf” move: 

For the Government to pull the rug from under the Oliver Bond regeneration when we are a few short months away from planning being lodged is gut-wrenching. 

Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman called the move "abhorrent".

In the Dáil, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the Government is "committed to supporting regeneration projects submitted by Dublin City Council, including deep retrofit remedial works at older flat complexes".

"The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is actively supporting viable regeneration proposals from Dublin City Council and will continue to do so. We are also continuing to invest heavily in regeneration across the capital city, particularly social housing flat complexes and estates, in a timely manner. I will raise the issue with the Minister as well."

Sinn Féin motion to reverse decision

The move came as Sinn Féin brought a motion to the Dáil calling for a reversal of the decision, with housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin saying the letter from Government to Dublin City Council yesterday was "deeply dishonest".

"It said the reason why the Department could not accept it was because there was a 38% reduction in the number of homes. However, it fails to mention that in the Dublin City Council plan, which I have here, in order to deal with the fact there would be a reduction of units when you amalgamated two flats into one or three into two, Dublin City Council identified a brand new vacant site opposite Oliver Bond where it would deliver an additional 43 homes. 

"The scheme has a net gain of 15 homes, and the Minister of state's Government is saying no to the people of Oliver Bond. It is utterly disgraceful."

• Paul Hosford, Acting Political Editor