Sinn Féin councillors on Dublin City Council will this evening move an emergency motion following the outrageous ‘clear breach of commitments’ given regarding so-called affordable housing at Oscar Traynor Woods.

Sinn Féin Leader on Dublin City Council Daithí Doolan said the deal with a private developer – opposed at the time by Sinn Féin at the time in favour of the government funding the council to deliver 100% council and affordable housing on the site – only passed because guarantees were made that the proposed prices of the affordable-purchase homes would be reduced and that these prices would be fixed and unaffected by inflation.

Cllr. Doolan added that DCC management and councillors who voted in favour of the proposal were sold a pup, with houses on the site unaffordable and completely out of reach of ordinary workers and families in the community.

Cllr. Doolan said:

“Dublin City Council councillors and management were sold a pup.

“The deal to gift public land on Oscar Traynor Road to private developers only passed because of clear commitments that were made that the proposed prices of the affordable-purchase homes were reduced and that these prices would be fixed and unaffected by inflation.

“It now transpires that these commitments were nothing but a cod to sell public land to a private developer to profit from.

“At the time, Sinn Féin rightly opposed this deal. We proposed that the government would fund the council to deliver 100% council and affordable housing on the site.

“We warned what would happen if this site was handed over to private developers. That our worst fears have been realised will be of no comfort to the many workers and families now denied the opportunity to purchase homes in their community.

“Sinn Féin councillors and TDs had long campaigned for the government to fund Dublin City Council to deliver a fully public housing scheme on Oscar Traynor Road, and for the site to be used for social, affordable rental and affordable purchase homes.

“In Ballymun, the ­not-for-profit housing co-operative Ó Cualann has advertised 12 three-bed affordable purchase homes ranging from €264,285 to €304,000, with a full market value of €320,000.

“This is exactly the kind of affordable housing that is achievable on public land and what we wanted for Oscar Traynor Road.

“Instead, what we have now on Oscar Traynor Road are eye-watering house prices of €475,000 that are not only beyond the reach of the vast majority of working people, but they are also significantly higher than the prices promised when the land was sold to the developer.

“What the developments in Oscar Traynor Road and in Balbutcher Lane in Ballymun tell us is that it was a huge mistake for the government to insist on councils selling public land to private developers.

“What they should have done is what Sinn Féin told them to do – to fund Dublin City Council to develop these sites ourselves.

“Sinn Féin councillors are today requesting an urgent meeting with Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien to address this issue, which raises fundamental questions about the government’s affordable housing policy which it has tasked Dublin City Council to implement.”

Sinn Féin’s Emergency motion for July 1 Dublin City Council meeting: This City Council notes with dismay the communication sent to Councillors from Dublin City Council Housing Development section on 24 June which confirms that the so-called ‘affordable’ homes in Oscar Traynor Woods are to be sold at prices which cannot be described in any way as affordable. This is in clear breach of the commitments given at the time of the sale of this formerly public land that homes would be affordable and that this scheme would offer to working people the opportunity to purchase homes denied to them in the open market. We request an urgent meeting with Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien to address this issue which raises fundamental questions about the Government’s affordable housing policy which it has tasked Dublin City Council to implement. – Cllrs Mícheál Mac Donncha & Edel Moran