Families in the council-owned Lissadel Maisonettes gathered outside Dublin’s City Hall before the monthly council meeting last night to raise their concerns and demand “immediate action”.
The residents described their living conditions as “overcrowded, damp flats with leaking roofs”.
“No family should be forced to live in overcrowded, damp accommodation that is leaking. It’s simply unacceptable,” Sinn Féin councillor Daithí Doolan said.
“We’re bringing our protest here today to make our voices heard as residents and elected representatives at the city council meeting.
“It is unacceptable, and we certainly will not accept that people in a 21st-century European capital are forced to live in these conditions. We won’t let it happen under our watch.
“We want three things to happen: allocate the empty units as quickly as possible, get the families on the housing list into those homes, and ensure proper maintenance and regeneration programmes,” he added.
Sinn Féin councillor Janice Boylan was also present at the protest and said residents “need to be listened to”.
“This is a genuine situation. It’s not made up; no one is looking for attention,” she said.
“This is for families living in the maisonettes. We should have proper housing facilities for those who need them.
“We should be building houses for everyone that needs them, and we need to construct more social and affordable housing to address issues like those at Lissadel,” she added.
Ms Boylan said she would use her voice in support of the residents to ensure the flats are properly maintained and that the current issues are addressed as a matter of urgency.
She also said children in the estate are forced to walk through rubbish as the area is plagued by illegal dumping.
Cllr Doolan, who represents Ballyfermot and Drimnagh, noted that the vacant housing on Lissadell Road has been attracting anti-social behaviour.
He described it as resembling a “public dumping ground”, with various items such as beds and sofas left there.
Mr Doolan said the conditions are unacceptable and work needs to be done to improve the area and assist those in need of a home.
Dublin City Council has been contacted for comment.
