Taxpayer money 'squandered' as Dublin City Council admits some new builds are 'very problematic'
Many of Dublin City Council’s new builds have been “very problematic” as maintenance issues become apparent within just a few years of construction.
Senior Engineer with Housing Maintenance Robert Buckle spoke to councillors at the South Central Area Committee on Wednesday about the challenges they have faced when it comes to newer apartment complexes. With many newer flats dealing with rampant dampness, severe mould, and deteriorating infrastructure, he said they are learning from “the mistakes” of the past to ensure higher standards moving forward.
“I see huge challenges, especially with stuff built during the Celtic Tiger that were done without regulation,” he said. Mr Buckle explained that issues such as “parts for pumps sourced from Poland” or “window fixings from Eastern Europe” cause extra complication when it comes to repairs as they must contend with the legacies left by boom-time builds.
The question of why new builds are facing so many issues was put forward by Sinn Fein Councillor Ciaran O Meachair, who cited the problems faced by Dolphin House residents who have been dealing with major problems in properties only around a decade old. “Why are we seeing so many issues with these new builds?” he asked.
Mr Buckle agreed that there have been problems and said that, although many older buildings have faced their own issues regarding insulation and dampness, long-standing sites like Tyrone Place and Oliver Bond remain “solid buildings” despite some being almost 100 years old. He said his ideal design is “four walls, a square build, with gutters on the outside” and that “fancy designs” end up causing them trouble down the line.
Cllr O Meachair noted that when maintenance works have to be carried out on newer builds there is a need for scaffolding around the buildings, as those designing them likely didn’t anticipated they would need repair works as often as they do.
Mr Buckle confirmed that scaffolding is often the only way workers can access the roofs of these buildings, and for the past number of years they requested new builds to have some kind of solid platform that allows for a cherry picker or a less inconvenient way to gain access.
Senior Executive Officer for Housing Regeneration Collette Egan also spoke about the problems newer apartment complexes have caused and said there has been major improvements in how the council approves contracts since the first phase of Dolphin House’s regeneration was built. She noted the standard of onsite inspections has increased greatly in recent years.
“We have our own Dublin City Council building inspectors who are looking at what the contractors are doing. They are working on behalf of the council and if they see something they don’t agree with, that's brought up,” she said.
With fortnightly meetings, Ms Egan said “lessons have been learned” and that, when they go out to tender, specifics are written out in the contract and those standards must be met. Cllr O Meachair questioned if there was a way for the council to recoup some of the money lost from improper designs and funds spent on housing maintenance that shouldn’t have been required over the years.
Regarding Dolphin House, Cllr O Meachair said residents are pleased to learn that steps are being put in place to address their concerns, but the fact that these problems have emerged on such new sites in the first place is worrisome. He cited leaking roofs, issues with heating, and structural problems.
“The regeneration of Dolphin House is costing the taxpayer millions. The maintenance to fix units that have only been occupied a few years is into the tens of thousands at least,” he said.
“There is evidence, not just in Dublin 8 but across the city, that new developments are not being built to a high standard and taxpayer money is being wasted. We really shouldn’t keep squandering public funds like this.”
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