Conditions for residents of inner Cork city community highlighted by TDs

AN inner-city community in desperate need of regeneration was discussed in the Dáil.

Sinn Féin TDs Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire and Thomas Gould highlighted the 50-year-old homes in “deplorable conditions”

Speaking in the Dáil recently, in front of the Minister of State at the Department of Housing Malcolm Noonan, Mr Ó Laoghaire said there was an urgent need for funding to regenerate Noonan’s Road. “The flats there were built over 50 years ago. Since then, they have never received any serious renovation or repair.

“Many of these homes are in deplorable conditions. Lists of housing maintenance requests that come in from the South Central ward are dominated by issues in Noonan’s Road and surrounding streets.

“This is a small area, and a tight-knit community, and is in desperate need of regeneration. Regeneration projects have been discussed at Council-level for about 15 years now, and from the people of the community for much, much longer.”

The Sinn Féin TD said the community is being neglected and invited the Minister of State to visit Noonan’s Road and to speak to the community, and explain to them why they have not received the vital funding needed for regeneration. Mr Gould agreed with his party colleague and said the homes were in “dire need” of regeneration and retrofitting.

“There have been too many false dawns for residents, with years of promises that they will finally get this support, whilst we’re now going into 2022 with nothing having been done.

“There was a report in 2019 that one of the homes had no hot water for 38 years. Not weeks, not days, not months — 38 years. There are serious issues with damp, mould and leaks.

“The Government are quick to talk about the amount of money they give to local authorities, but here we have an area that has been crying out for years for support. These residents are not asking for much, just to be warm and secure in their homes.”