Rathbane apartment block to be demolished following Fahy intervention
RATHBANE residents who have been living in fear for their lives, have now been thrown a life line by councillor, Ger Fahy, who has succeeded in gaining a commitment from City Hall that a vacant three-storey apartment block will be demolished.
The block, which has been vacant for six months, is five metres from some of the residents’ houses and has become a prime target for continuous anti social activity of an acutely intimidating nature. Added to that is the residents’ absolute dread that, following the setting on fire off another empty apartment block last autumn, this block will also be set alight and their homes and lives put at risk.
Cllr Fahy told a meeting of city council that the residents of Sycamore Avenue had, six months ago been traumatised by the burning down of another block of flats.
“Circulars had been sent around that the flats backing onto the Christian Brothers’ field would be demolished on Tuesday, but, at 6pm on the Monday, they were set alight and it took three tenders of the Fire Brigade to get the fire under control – cars were also burnt out.
“Since then the local people have been living in utter dread that they will do the same to this second apartment block. They have been taking it in their turns to mount watch round the clock and many of them are living in such dread that they were opting to move out and even stay in a hotel for a time”.
He said that those engaging in this criminal activity were using the nearby railway line as a means of escape.
“The city council had been waiting to get the go-ahead from the Department of the Environment to demolish this second block of flats, with a guarantee that funding would be forthcoming to rebuild later, but I’ve spelled out the danger and the absolute fear of the people and called for immediate demolition and the clearance of this second block. We can’t delay the demolition.
‘This is a greenfield site and should be earmarked for new housing – it would be ideal for housing for the elderly”.
Director of services for housing, Kieran Lehane, agreed to the demolition.
“I would have liked the Department to carry this,” he said, to which Cllr Fahy replied “We can’t wait for the Department – people are living in fear and we can’t put a cost on people’s lives”.
