DCC Councillors Urged To Reject Proposal For Magdalene Site

Dublin City Council’s plan to sell the last remaining Magdalene Laundry on Sean McDermott St must be rejected, says Fianna Fáil's general election candidate in Dublin Central, Mary Fitzpatrick
She says that Dublin City Council's proposal "fails to appropriately respect those that were incarcerated in the laundry".
She told Hot Press, “It is five years since the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny delivered a landmark apology to the victims and survivors of the Magdalene Laundries. Yet they, their families or the local community have not been meaningfully consulted on the future of the last remaining Magdalene laundry on Sean McDermott Street."
She adds:“Furthermore, there is a chronic housing need in the inner city. As it stands in this area, there are more than 2,000 applicants on the local authority housing while 350 are currently registered as living in homelessness.
“If this Council understood the depth of the housing crisis, surely they would work to ensure that plans for this site would at very least include a substantial number of social and affordable housing units.
"The development proposal which will be put to Councillors for their approval earmarks four social units and not one affordable housing unit. The message was clear at this week's public meeting on the matter, we will not accept this plan.
“This a significant state owned two acre site right in the heart of our capital city and which has enormous strategic importance and potential.
“Any notion that the State should sell this prime urban, public site reflects a deep lack of commitment from the State to regenerate this area and must be rejected.
“We must achieve a better outcome; One that respects and values the Magdalene women, the local community and its distinct history, and also the future strategic importance of this valuable site for Dublin Central.”