South Dublin Cllrs Criticised For Voting For Sale Of Public Land

Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has voiced his disappointment that a majority of councillors on South Dublin County Council has voted to support the sale of public land to a private developer to deliver homes in Killinarden in Tallaght.

Deputy Ó Broin said: "It is deeply disappointing that a majority of councillors on South Dublin County Council last night voted to sell a key public site in Killinarden, Tallaght.

"This is a huge opportunity lost to deliver 500 public homes to meet social, affordable cost rental and affordable leasehold purchase need.

"The deal is similar to the one on the O’Devaney Gardens site in Dublin City.

"200 social homes, 200 discount market price homes and 100 open market homes will be delivered on the Killinarden site.

"The discount purchase homes are wrongly being described as affordable homes.

"The sale price will be set at 15% discount on open market price.

"However, the 15% discount will have to be paid back to the Sate at a future point. This is not genuinely affordable housing.

"For example, according to the figures presented last night the market value of a four bed is €340,000, with the 15% discount the price is €289,000.

"When the affordable purchaser eventually wants to sell the home or leave it to their children, they will have to find the 15% cost difference.

"A better use of this land would should have been 33% social, 33% cost rental and 33% affordable purchase.

"Unfortunately, neither central government nor the majority of councillors on South Dublin County Council have any interest in putting the interests of working families ahead of investors and developers.

"We need to stop the sale of public land to private developers and the local authorities need to be resourced to deliver good quality affordable purchase, cost rental and social homes."

(MH/CM)