Poolbeg plan is a ‘wasted opportunity’

SOUTHSIDE Sinn Féin councillor Daithi Doolan has vowed to continue to campaign for the inclusion of a further 100 homes on the Poolbeg Development Plan after a controversial vote at Dublin City Council last week.

The council agreed to include 900 affordable and social housing units on the 34-hectare site on the new Poolbeg West site in the south-east of the city.

Cllr Doolan, the chairperson of Dublin City Council housing committee, said that while this was a good outcome, it could have been much better.  

“The vote tonight will ensure that 900 social and affordable homes will now be built as part of the Poolbeg Development Plan,” he said. “Sinn Fein proposed a further 100 senior citizens’ homes, bringing the total to 1,000. Unfortunately, the combined votes of Labour, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil reduced that number to 900.

“The original commitment by Minister Simon Coveney of 620 social and affordable houses was never a runner. It was only by standing firm on our commitment to housing that we were able to greatly increase this number.”