The selection of sites for modular housing for Dublin’s homeless families has begun, the city council’s head of housing Dick Brady has confirmed.
The council’s housing committee has approved plans for factory-built homes in Dublin to end the use of emergency B&B and hotel accommodation for homeless families.
More than 600 families, including 1,275 children, are currently living in emergency accommodation.
Mr Brady said the council had entered into discussions with the Department of the Environment in relation to the planning and procurement procedures that could be used to advance the project.
He said that investigations of a number of vacant council-owned sites were now underway to ensure their suitability for use.
“The process of identifying sites has started. We need to make sure that they are suitable in the first instance, that they have water and sewage.
“We don’t want to generate sites that need a lot of roads built,” Mr Brady said.
He said that the number of units that would be installed on the sites had not been finalised and “no upper or lower number” had been determined.
However, it was expected that more than 200 units would be installed.
The units would cost in the region of €100,000 each, excluding land costs.
Mr Brady said: “The big advantage of what we’re talking about is speed.”
The council is expected to take another three to four weeks to assess sites and establish the procurement and planning methods needed to deliver the units as quickly as possible.
Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly said he would be prepared to introduce emergency legislation to fast-track the planning and procurement process for the modular homes.
‘Undignified conditions’
Housing committee member and Independent councillor Christy Burke said he welcomed Mr Kelly’s statement and described the living conditions of homeless families staying in hotels as “undignified”.
“The sooner the better the manager identifies these sites . . . I give them [modular houses] my blessing.”
Fine Gael Cllr Naoise Ó Muirí said he wanted to see a pilot scheme of 20 to 50 units in place by the end of November.
Sinn Féin Cllr Daithí Doolan also said that modular housing was not a panacea but a part of the solution.
‘Absolute rubbish’
Separately, Mr Kelly has described as “absolute rubbish” claims by Fianna Fáil environment spokesman Barry Cowen that vacant council houses were sitting idle.
Mr Cowen said funding for the refurbishment of the homes, known as “voids”, had been cut by €6.15 million this year.
“It’s absolute rubbish. Voids are our big priority. I think Deputy Cowen hasn’t acknowledged the work that’s done and completed, and finished.
“Also he’s not acknowledging, from a budgetary point of view, the way in which the system works.”
Local authorities were empowered to do the work and then make a claim for the costs, he said.
“If Dublin City Council can actually open up every single void in this city by Christmas I will provide the funding [for] as many teams as they want to get out there and do the work.”
