Dublin City Council has planned regeneration for the local authority flat complex, Dolphin House, one of the subjects of a collective complaint against the Irish state under the European Social Charter. The estate of 400 flats was built in the 1950s and has seriously deteriorated over the years, with persistent damp, mould and sewage problems.
PILA facilitated a collective complaint from a number of housing rights groups and activists on behalf of tenants on local authority housing. The complaint against Ireland was lodged before the Committee of Social Rights in Strasbourg in July just past via the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). PILA’s parent organisation FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres) is an Irish member of the FIDH.
The complaint alleges that Irish law, policy and practices on social housing are not in conformity with the state’s obligations under the European Social Charter. In drafting the complaint, evidence was gathered from tenants across 20 communities, including from the Dolphin House complex of flats. Dolphin House residents have reported dampness, mould and fungal contamination, sewage invasion and smells and poor maintenance. These problems all contribute to health problems among the tenants, especially children and the vulnerable. The survey shows that the complex design is outdated and no longer fit for usage.
Before the economic crisis, Dublin City Council had planned to demolish the complex and redevelop it through a Public Private Partnership. The City Council is now pursuing a ‘deep retrofit’ programme, reflecting the wishes of the residents who do not want the works to permanently disrupt their community. After approval from city councillors, the €16 million project is set to begin in early 2015. It will see the replacement of all sewage systems and drains, all water and electricity services and the installation of balconies and lifts. The layout of the development will incorporate features to increase security and well-being for the residents. Some units are already empty, and remaining residents will be rehoused within the estate in units which have already been refurbished to a “comfortable” level. They will be housed in the temporary units for the next three to four years while works are being completed.
Click here to read an Irish Times article on the plans.
In 2011, the PILA Bulletin reported on the case of a Dolphin House resident who was awarded damages against Dublin City Council by the Circuit Court. The Court found that the man’s apartment was “unfit for human habitation and in breach of the council's contractual duty of care under the Housing Act”. Click here to read more. In 2010, the residents of Dolphin House published a monitoring report on the realisation of their right to adequate housing. Click here to read more.