Tuath Housing tenants praise 'proactive approach' to tackling anti-social behaviour
Tuath Housing residents have reported improved communication and a more proactive approach to address anti-social behaviour concerns at northside housing complexes.
Following Dublin Live’s coverage of a residents’ petition calling on the Approved Housing Body (AHB) to address safety concerns at De Verdon Place on the Malahide Road, tenants cite upgraded security measures and stronger communication. Social Democrats Councillor Jesslyn Henry raised these concerns at the January North Central Area Committee meeting, and now, two months later, said the residents “are much happier.”
With regular clinics between tenants and Tuath Housing, issues that first appeared after De Verdon was officially launched in September 2024 have been getting resolved. Cllr Henry said communication troubles have been a consistent issue across all AHBs in recent years, as Dublin City Council tenants previously knew who to contact, but under different management circumstances this problem needed to be “ironed out.”
She stressed that Tuath has been proactive about putting steps in place to tackle residents' concerns, such as ordering new doors with fast locking mechanisms that will prevent non-residents from gaining access to the building. She said that anti-social behaviour is a symptom of wider systemic issues and called on the government to provide “more funding and resources” toward addressing community concerns across the northside.
Resident Derek Moloney told Dublin Live that moving to De Verdon in August 2024 finally allowed him to live with his son Cillian and Cillian’s mother, Lisa, after they were separated by space limits. He described the apartment as providing long-term stability and peace of mind, a sharp contrast to the insecurity of the private market.
Derek said there were some “teething problems” when De Verdon first opened, as young people were naturally attracted to a new development. However, he said, after more than 20 years of working with teenagers and young people, he knew the curiosity would fade and that he “wasn’t phased by it.”
As a Community Link Worker in Finglas South, supporting at-risk families as well as members of the Roma and Traveller communities, Derek said the problems at De Verdon weren’t any worse than what he encountered in other areas he’s worked in. While he said De Verdon was being made out to be “like a war zone,” this doesn’t align with his experiences.
“I think the staff from Tuath are on the ball and the caretaker John is a gentleman. If you have any issues, he’ll be there, and he’ll come right back to you,” he said.
Derek explained there is security throughout the night and that those who had been causing anti-social behaviour have realised they can no longer get away with it. “I don’t see any vandalism within the building,” he said.
“When the kids were coming around in late 2024/early 2025 you could see them running amok,” he said, stating this issue has been stamped out. Derek said living at De Verdon also helps him, alongside his siblings, care for his 84-year-old father in Coolock, and being based closer to family has made that responsibility more manageable.
Once issues were identified, Derek said Tuath didn’t “drag their heels” and that there’s now information posted on the walls to let tenants know who to contact whenever there’s a problem, and the regular meetings give them a direct link. “From my experience, they’ve addressed the issues, the kids don’t hang around anymore,” he said.
During a presentation delivered by Tuath Housing to Dublin City Councillors at the February North Central Area committee meeting, Tuath representatives recognised that some tenants have experienced issues related to anti-social behaviour but claimed 90% of their residents state they are satisfied with the homes they provide.
Chief Operating Officer Bronagh D’Arcy said they are investigating retrofitting existing properties and putting measures in place to ensure new builds don’t have the same problems as before. “We are learning all the time,” she said.
Ms D’Arcy explained that Tuath is not a “nine to five organisation” and they are working to establish after hours contact points for tenants and that they have on-call contractors available to carry out repair works after hours and on weekends. “Our phones are on 24/7 and we have no problem with you contacting us directors directly,” she told councillors.
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