Irish Times* Tuesday, 10 February 2015 Page: 8
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Senior citizens’ flats rent row resolved Elderly tenants on Dublin City Council list to move into Fr Scully House next week Catholic Housing Aid Society agrees to charge standard social housing rents OLIVIA KELLY
original Fr Scully House, a fore Christmas have formed a 1960s flat complex demolished residents’ association. They six years ago to make way for said they were glad the building A seven-month rent dispute, the new development. was being brought into full use, which had left a newly-built However, the other 76 apartments but they were concerned the intervention €17 millionsenior citizens’complex of Mr Kellywould result in the complex remained in Dublin’snorth inner city in undue haste in the selection empty as agreement on rents largely empty, has been resolved. for tenants on the council’swaiting of tenants. list could not be reached. “Our concern is that there Elderly tenants on Dublin The society said there were mightbe an attempt to short circuit the vetting system and that City Council’s housing waiting also construction-related costs list willnext week begin moving it wanted assurances would be people would be selected without due diligence being carried into Fr ScullyHouse, a complex paid. These related to a bill of of 99 apartments near Mountjoy€350,000 from the council for out,”said Tony Egan, residents’ traffic management during the association chairman. Square, following an agreement A spokesman for the society between the council and project, delays the society said the Catholic Housing Aid Society were caused by the ESB and said it had been working on the Bord Gais Eireann, and funds tenant application process, in concerning rents. The society wanted to charge for the long-term maintenance collaboration with Cluid housing association, during the negotiations an average monthly rent of of the building. and the selection of A spokesman for Mr Kelly €580 for the apartments it built using State funds, but has said there was agreement these new tenants was well advanced. agreed to accept the €400 proposed would be covered as part of an by the council and the €800,000 payment once the final account was submitted. Housing Agency. Mr Kelly yesterday welcomed The council and the society the end of the dispute.“I’m had been in negotiations since glad that common last July over the level of rent to be charged to tenants, as well as sense prevailed and that rents remain at their original level.” construction-related costs. DublinCorrespondent
Left empty
Selection
Of the 76 apartments, 25 will be The issue came to a head last December, when it appeared the given to senior citizens who building would be left empty. have reached the top of the social housing list for the area. Following the intervention of Minister for the Environment The remaining apartments will Alan Kelly, the society agreed also go to elderly people on the to charge standard social housinglist, but the society will have an rents to 23 elderly people input into their selection. Tenants who moved in bewho had been tenants of the