Tyrrelstown residents protest against clamping plans

TYRRELSTOWN residents recently marched in protest at plans by their management company to introduce clamping for arrears in management fees.

Members and residents of the T3 area in Tyrrelstown had been notified by Purple Property Management, and T3 management company, that clamping was set to be introduced on March 1.

The residents told Northside People that T3 OMC are ‘trying to foist this measure onto the resident members, who have deeded, designated spaces, as a weapon to force members to comply with company rules.

“In particular those in arrears who are withholding monies in dispute against unresolved questions and issues in the area.’

On Sunday February 27, many of these concerned residents took part in a protest march calling for the planned introduction of clamping to be stopped.

Local Sinn Fein TD Paul Donnelly, Councillor John Burtchaell (Solidarity), Ruth Coppinger (Socialist Party) and Edward MacManus (Aontu) also attended.

The OMC has since notified residents that they have postponed the clamping by two weeks.

Daniela Tanedo, a resident of Tyrrelstown, told Northside People that the uncertainty about parking is causing her a lot of stress.

“I am one of the residents that are affected by the clamping issue,” she said.

“I am a paediatric nurse in Crumlin Hospital.

“I work in the Oncology ward looking after children with cancer.

“I am so worried if my car will be clamped, I would have no means of transportation to get to work as my shift starts at 0730 and I travel 45 mins to work.

“We have two spaces but they’ve been taken away and we’ve had no information about whether we will have to pay monthly or weekly.

“I only moved in last year and already the hassle from this issue is causing me a lot of stress.

“I’ve never had to deal with this kind of encounter ever before in my life.”

Tyrrelstown homeowner, and one of the organisers of last Sunday’s protest march, Gillean Guy (pictured above addressing residents at the protest), said there is a critical need for the law to be changed.

“Under the new plans, you can have your visitors only over twice in a week, unless they come in a different car,” she told Northside People.

“So automatically that means that daily visitors like PHNs, home help, Special Needs Educators have a difficulty.

“It adds an onerous task to people having to remember to get each visitor a ‘visitor permit’ who have daily callers for the elderly and disabled, such as home helps, one off visitors, doctors-on-call.

“Once clamped, the release fee is extortionate at €120, at a time when people are struggling to recover from the repercussions of the pandemic and deal with inflation.

“Also, we believe it breeches Constitutional Property rights as your deeded, designated space is not guaranteed. “If someone parks in it, you’re out of luck.

“Residents are anxious because their designated spaces will not be protected, as the clampers will only look for a permit.

“I’m delighted with the turn out today from the residents, thank you so much to all who came out today.

“We hope our series of measures and protests will highlight the plight of residents not only here in Tyrrelstown but nationwide as well.

“There is an imperative need to update legislation, which Micheál Martin, Joe Higgins and many other TD’s have said is urgently needed over the last 15-20 years.

“It is time to stop this unfair double taxation of homeowners in many other towns and villages up and down the country.

“The mistakes of the Celtic Tiger need to be rectified to stop them being handed down to another generation of residents, voters and families,” Gillean concluded.

Northside People contacted Purple Property Management for a comment but had not received a response at the time of going to print.