Uncertain future for pyrite victims

FIVE settled Traveller families are still living in cramped caravans more than two years after being forced to move out of their homes due to pyrite.

The families were moved out of their homes in Avila Park, Finglas, and into caravans – with no running water and no individual electricity supply – back in March 2010.

The move – which has cost the council

?¬100,000 – was supposed to be temporary while repairs on their houses were carried out but no work has been done since.

Northside People has also learned that it unlikely that funding will be made available in the foreseeable future for the extensive remedial works on their homes, which is expected to cost up to

?¬700,000.

The tell-tale signs of pyrite in the houses became apparent four years ago. However, the problem became so acute that the families were forced to move from their homes in 2010 for health and safety reasons.

According to Michael Collins, spokesperson for Avila Park residents, the situation cannot be allowed to continue any longer.

“These caravans are practically on top of other houses in the estate,

? he stated.

“People agreed to move out on the basis that it was short-term but now two years later we still have a situation where families with young babies are living in caravans with no running water or proper heating. What’s worse is that they can see their empty houses from their windows and nothing’s being done to fix the problem in their homes.

?

He added:

“You’d have to wonder whether this situation would be accepted in any other community.

?

According to local TD Dessie Ellis (SF), it is unlikely that the council will have the money to complete or even start the repair works on the houses in Avila Park.

“Dublin City Council naively thought they would get the money from the Department of Environment but I don’t think that’s going to happen,

? he stated.

“The council’s budget for Traveller accommodation has been cut dramatically this year so there’s only in the region of

?¬50,000 compared to

?¬1.3 last year as a capital grant for building and accommodation projects.

?

He added:

“I am calling for the council and the Department of Environment to pull out all the stops to get this situation resolved immediately.

?

Deputy Ellis recently raised the matter with the Minister for Environment who stated that the council had submitted a request from the Department for the

“provision of funding for remedial works

? for the houses in Avila Park.

“The detail of the proposal and potential alternatives for funding have been the subject of correspondence between my Department and the city council in the interim,

? the Minister stated.

“A formal application for funding, including an evaluation of the options for remediation and/or replacement in respect of the number of properties affected, the extent of the works proposed and an all-in cost for the project was requested from the council in January.

“While a number of issues require clarification from the council, the Department has given a provisional commitment to part-fund these works.

?

The Minister concluded:

“Funding will be reviewed when all outstanding issues have been addressed and following this the receipt of a tender report in due course from the council.

?

A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said it had put the repair work of the houses in Avila Park out to tender last year.

“In 2011 tenders were received for remedial works on the houses but the Department of Environment and Local Government had certain difficulties with the tenders,

? he told Northside People.

“Most recently a further meeting was held with the department at which it was agreed that the work would be re-tendered as soon as possible.

“This process is in hand and I anticipate that it will be completed by July/August of this year. At that stage it will be necessary to source suitable funding for the project.

“It is not possible to precisely pre-judge the outcome of a tendering process.

“However I would expect the cost to be in the region of

?¬600,000 to

?¬700,000.

?