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31st July 2012 • Volume 19, Issue 23 • Leader House, North Street, Swords, Co. Dublin. • ISDN 8139966 • Tel: 8•400•200
Residents Expected To Endure Appalling Conditions The long awaited Pyrite Panel Report has been given a broad welcome by pyrite sufferers throughout the North County area. Work has been progressing in many estates and the hope is that normal life will resume for many people. This, however, is not the case for residents of Talbot House Apartments in Drynam Estate, Kinsealy, who are being driven to dementia by the noise of the diggers and heavy machinery being used to repair the pyrite problem in their apartment block. The repair works are taking place in the lower floor of the block, and the residents here have been relocated. The residents of the upper floors, however, have not been offered relocation by the developer, Menolly Homes and this has caused them huge distress and anger.
By Patrick Finnegan One of the residents, Oonagh Sheehan contacted the County Leader and invited us to see, at first hand, the devastation caused to residents in the apartment block. When this reporter arrived at Ms Sheehan’s apartment, the interview had to be carried on outside, due to the relentless, deafening noise level. She said that many attempts to contact Menolly Homes had been ignored. “We only discovered that Menolly’s contractors, Showglade were commencing remedial works on Talbot House on Monday 23 July last, through speaking with one of our neighbours on the ground floor. The last communication I received from Menolly was in September 2011 telling us that the works were scheduled to commence on 12 November 2012,” she said. “After numerous attempts to contact them when we found out they were coming on site, they repeatedly ignored emails and phone calls and eventually, one week before commencement, they sent two representatives to meet with us to discuss the works.” She continued: “At the end of this meeting, it was agreed that we would have a follow up meeting and we also sent documentation to Menolly listing our concerns and requirements and again, to date, despite numerous attempts to contact both representatives and Menolly, they have declined to have the meeting, answer a single phone call and refused to respond to voicemails or emails,” she said. She is fully in support of the remedial works being carried out, but is angry at the lack of consideration shown by Menolly Homes. “We
Pictured are distraught Drynam residents: Andy Butler, Oonagh Sheehan and Emma Reid.
patio door, through our apartment block was spoken to by an their apartment and assessor in relation to Health and Safety, so into the lift lobby). Menolly have no information pertaining to the Oonagh continued: health of any of the residents in Talbot House Part of the machinery, which is the source of the noise at Talbot Hall, Drynam Estate. “We raised concerns (i.e. asthmatics, disabilities, young children, about our safety in the allergies, injuries that may prevent any resident fully embrace the works, and of course want the event of fire, as the lift will shut down and we from using the stairs, etc). works to happen, but Menolly have shown a will have no way to exit the building. We asked The County Leader contacted Menolly Homes to complete lack of respect or concern for us as for a copy of the risk assessment that was get their side of the story, but no reply was owner occupiers. We have grave concerns carried out and have yet to receive it. Nobody in received from them. regarding our health and safety during the works. They are scheduled to take 6 weeks and we asked to be relocated for the initial stage of the works, which would have been a maximum of two weeks (i.e. the heavy duty drilling and digging), claims Oonagh. We were told that we were overreacting and were being laughed at. We have cooperated with the contractors to date With the Olympic Games well Weymouth, where he will be Malahide Yacht Club has an and truly underway, all eyes part of the biggest ever Irish incredible record in Olympic and respect that they have a job to do.” Of the residents, who are expected to live on this in the North County will be on Sailing team. Also at Games participation. Scott building site, 90 per cent are owner occupiers, M a l a h i d e becomes the ranging from Gardaí, a mother with young chil- sailors, Scott s e v e n t h dren, people who work shift work and some who Flanigan and M a l a h i d e work from home and are expected to live and D a v i d S a i l i n g work there, while the remediation work takes Burrows, as Olympian, along place. The residents also have grave concerns they attempt with Robin regarding the Health and Safety implications, to bring glory Hennessy, David including the fire alarm which does not work, as to Malahide, Wilkins, Robert it’s clogged up with dust and the stench of the and Peter Dix, North diesel all around the complex. Ciara Peelo and County and One of the residents said: “I’m on shift work and indeed the David Burrows need to sleep during the day, but cannot while entire country. himself. With work continues here. I get home at 3am and Nineteen-year the exception of drilling starts at 8am, while the trucks rumble in old Malahide 1984, the club an hour earlier at 7am,” he said. has been represailor, Scott Scott Flanigan David Burrows Access to the apartments is currently via the Flanigan, will sented at every main entrance and stairwell. Access to the lift compete in the International Weymouth will be David Olympic Regatta since 1972. has been taken away until approximately week 470 Class, crewing for Ger Burrows, who will be We wish Scott and David three of the works, when they will move to remecompeting in his fourth every success and look Owens from Dun Laoghaire. diate the main entrance of the block, taking He will be one of the Games, this time crewing for forward to greeting them away access to our stairwell. It is at this stage youngest competitors at the Peter O’Leary of Cork in the home as heroes. that residents will access their apartments, via Regatta in Star Class. their neighbours apartment (i.e. through their Olympic
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