Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 May 2013
56. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the work he is doing to ensure that the regeneration of Dolphin House and St. Teresa's Gardens, Dublin, progress without delay. [20485/13]
View answerNotwithstanding the constraints on capital expenditure across all the various measures under my Department’s Social Housing Investment Programme, I am continuing to support the National Regeneration Programme to the fullest extent possible. I am determined that there will be no loss of momentum in 2013 in progressing regeneration projects in Dublin City, including the Dolphin House and St Teresa’s Gardens projects, and the other priority projects in Limerick City, Cork City and in a number of regional towns around the country. I recently announced allocations of €80 million for regeneration projects nationally in 2013, including some €31 million for regeneration projects in Dublin City.
Draft schematic regeneration proposals for the redevelopment of Dolphin House and St. Teresa’s Gardens were developed by Dublin City Council and submitted to my Department in March 2012. Since then, my Department has been continually liaising with the Council to further develop these proposals for incorporation into an overall Masterplan. I expect this process to be completed shortly. The City Council will then be in a position to provide projected multi-annual funding requirements for the future regeneration of both areas. Funding for the various constituent elements of these schemes must await approval of the Masterplans which I understand have not yet been adopted by the City Council.
In advance of the completion of detailed Masterplans, my Department is supporting a programme of social inclusion initiatives and enabling works at both locations in 2013. In the case of Dolphin House this includes funding for a community worker and an interim programme of remedial and improvement works to the flats in order to improve living conditions and address issues relating to insulation, condensation and wastewater drainage. In relation to St. Teresa’s Gardens my Department is also supporting a programme of social inclusion initiatives in 2013 in addition to funding for demolition works. My Department is liaising with Dublin City Council on the compilation of an updated programme of works for 2013 for both locations and I expect this task will be completed very shortly.
