Dublin Sinn Fein Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Doolan-Minister needs to tackle sale of Council flats

Published: 23 January, 2007

Sinn Féin's Dublin South East Representative, Councillor Daithí Doolan, has today called on the Minister for Environment Dick Roche, "to tackle the chaos that is currently holding up the sale of Dublin's City Council flats. Residents of Dublin City Council flats should have a right to buy their own flats just as residents in City Council houses have done for years."

Speaking after today's Court decision to reject 120 residents attempt to have their flats sold to them at 1988 prices Cllr. Doolan said, "residents here in Ringsend have been left in a legal limbo for years. Offers were made to these residents in 1988 only to have those offers withdrawn by the then Dublin Corporation.

Today's Court hearing highlights the glaring contradiction that is in current public housing policy and the solution lies at the door of the Minister Dick Roche if he would only care to look. Dublin City Council voted unanimously last year to allow tenants to buy their flats but unfortunately tenants are still unable to buy them because the Minister's inaction on the issue.

In conclusion Cllr. Doolan, called on, "the Minister to tackle this issue once and for all by introducing the necessary legislation to allow local authority tenants to buy their flats at an affordable rate."