‘Dropped the ball’: Council aware for years of conditions at Noonan’s Road, claims Cork TD

A Cork TD has said someone in City Hall “dropped the ball” in not actively pursuing funding to regenerate the Noonan’s Rd area.

Thomas Gould, Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, said he was told in 2021 in the Dáil that a funding application to the Department of Housing was awaiting “clarifications” from Cork City Council.

Dáil records show that in response to a follow-up query from Mr Gould in 2022, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said he had received “a capital appraisal from Cork City Council for the Noonan’s Rd apartments in 2021”.

“This application covered energy efficiency upgrades and general refurbishment/upgrade works which were not covered by a specific funding programme,” he said.

“Cork City Council have been informed by my department that they can apply for funding under the 2022 Energy Efficiency programme. Funding may also be available under the Voids/Planned Maintenance Programmes, as appropriate, for non energy efficiency works.”

Three weeks ago, Mr Gould and his colleague, Cork South Central TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, were told the department had yet to receive a funding application from the council.

Executive visit

Mr Gould described as “insulting” a visit last week by the executive of Cork City Council to local authority housing at Noonan’s Rd and St Finbarr’s Rd, saying it had been aware “for years” of conditions in the flats. Tenants in the neighbouring blocks of flats have claimed the council has “abandoned” them for years in damp, dilapidated homes, which are rodent-infested and prone to black mould.

After conditions in the homes were highlighted in recent weeks by The Echo, council chief executive Ann Doherty visited Noonan’s Rd and St Finbarr’s Rd last Monday night, accompanied by assistant chief executive Brian Geaney and city architect Tony Duggan.

During that visit, Ms Doherty said she was “shocked” by the conditions in the flats, and apologised to the tenants, saying: “All I can say is I’m really sorry that you’ve been let down over the years”.

Clarifications needed

Mr Gould said he and Mr Ó Laoghaire asked Malcolm Noonan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, in the Dáil in December 2021 about Noonan’s Rd. In that exchange, Mr Gould stated that some of the flats were “in dire condition” and referred to a 2019 report which had said one of the homes there had not had hot water for 38 years.

“There are issues with mould, damp, and leaks [and there] are obsolete electrical fittings. There are serious issues with housing and maintenance,” he told Mr Noonan.

Mr Gould then quoted Cork City Council stating that it was “trying to get funding but the Government will not provide it because it wants to retrofit and regenerate the area”.

Mr Noonan responded that in July 2021, the Department of Housing had “received a submission from Cork City Council under the energy efficiency programme seeking funding of over €4m for 68 apartments at Noonan Rd”.

Mr Noonan said the department sought clarifications on various aspects of the submission and was awaiting a response. 

“A decision on the funding request cannot progress until Cork City Council reverts with the information required by my department,” he said.

No funding application

Last month, when Mr Gould and Mr Ó Laoghaire again raised in the Dáil the issue of Noonan’s Rd, they were told by Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs Peter Burke that Government had not received any funding application from Cork City Council.

Mr Burke said that “

the minister and his officials very much look forward to receipt of this submission from the council in this regard and will work closely with Cork City Council to ensure a sustainable solution is found for residents at Noonan’s Rd”.

'Dropped the ball'

Speaking to The Echo, Mr Gould said someone in Cork City Council had dropped the ball. “The people of Noonan’s Rd, who have spent years campaigning on this issue, deserve answers,” he said.

“What happened to the application that was lodged in 2021? Why did the council not provide the further information requested? When will an application be made? We now need Cork City Council to publish all reports in Noonan’s Road and any other apartment block facing similar issues in the city,” Mr Gould said.

“I am hearing from people in Cattlemarket Avenue, Baker’s Rd, Clashduv Rd, and right across the city. These are not isolated issues and Cork City Council must know that.”

Cork City Council was asked for a comment.