Vacant sites in key locations in Dublin are “shameful” and are exacerbating the housing crisis, a leading journalist has said.

On The Pat Kenny Show today, Ronan McGreevy from The Irish Times said the row of derelict buildings at 43 - 50 Dolphin's Barn Street, across from the Coombe Hospital, is “disgusting” and has “pigeon droppings everywhere”.

He said the site could be used to accommodate workers in the hospital but a planning application to convert it to apartments has been stalled with An Bord Pleanála for the last two years.

'Disgusting'

Mr McGreevy said the buildings on the derelict site have become an eyesore.

“They are disgusting and they are absolutely shameful,” he said.

“There are pigeon droppings everywhere, there are branches sprouting from the window grills and the whole place is falling down.

“It’s right opposite the Coombe hospital which is about three kilometers from the city centre, it’s within a 10-minute walk from the new National Children's Hospital and it’s within 10 minutes’ walk of St James’ Hospital.

“You'd think a site like this would be prime for development.”

The Coombe Women and Infants Hospital in Dublin, 18-01-2021. Image: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland

An application to build 120 apartment units on the site across nine floors was submitted to An Bord Pleanála in April 2022 but has now stalled.

“They expected to get a decision in 16 weeks but we’re almost two years on from that and there has still been no decision made,” said Mr McGreevey.

“I asked the board why it’s taken this long and it’s because height restrictions were lifted in 2018 and as a result of that a lot of planners went back and said ‘Hang on, I can build higher than this?

“There is a similar case in Dún Laoghaire that has gone to the Supreme Court and until there has been a ruling on that there won’t be a decision on this [site across from the Coombe].”

'It's a form of social vandalism that has been tolerated for far too long.'

How do we have so many derelict buildings during a housing crisis? @RMcGreevy1301 on @PatKennyNT pic.twitter.com/NFSFPLshfI

— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) April 4, 2024

Derelict fine

Mr McGreevey said the developer and Dublin City Council (DCC) are now at odds with one another.

“DCC is fining the developer more than €200,000 with the derelict levy fine,” he said.

“But the developer said we will knock the place down and put up hoardings and everything like that and it would cost less than €200,000 and you won’t have a derelict site anymore.

“The council has said no to that and here we are.”

Mr McGreevy noted there were many other vacant sites around the capital in strategic locations too, like the Rialto Cinema, the Player Wills Factory, and a row of six three-story buildings on Aungier Street.

Other Cities

He said dereliction is a problem in other cities around Ireland too.

“There were two architects down in Cork who have counted 700 properties within a 2km squared area of Cork city that are vacant – it’s a massive problem,” he said.

“Part of the problem is the construction industry is flat out at the moment building this and that and the cost of developing these sites has risen by a huge amount.

“While it may seem on principle a good idea for people to fix them up, developers will say ‘How much is this going to cost me to do?’”

There are currently around 12,000 vacant homes and commercial properties in Dublin.

Main image: Some of the vacant buildings between 43 - 50 Dolphin's Barn Street. Image: Google Street View.