A housing expert says the Government has a 'moral responsibility' to set up a fund to finance emergency works at Longboat Quay in Dublin.
Residents have described as 'totally unacceptable' an offer from the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DAA) to fund 58% of the cost, leaving them with a bill of €2m.
The DDDA has offered to pay €2.75m, 58% of the total cost of making the complex safe.
The DDDA said last night it understands that the receiver over the assets of Gendsong Limited, which includes 18 apartments, will be making a "substantial contribution" towards the costs.
Meanwhile Dublin Fire Brigade has served a fire notice, setting out what works are needed and a timeline for completion.
Letter sent to Longboat Quay residents | Image: Sources
The owners and residents at the apartments have said they are " in a nightmare scenario" - and are seeking meetings with the Environment Minister Alan Kelly and the Lord Mayor of Dublin.
DIT lecturer Dr Lorcan Sirr says a zero interest Government fund would be the fairest way to meet Longboat Quay's outstanding costs.
"There is a moral responsibility on behalf of the government, because the government got rid or didn't replace an awful lot of local authority building inspectors who should have been inspecting these buildings as they went up and they didn't" he told Newstalk Breakfast.
"From a moral perspective I suspect the Government owe these people one; and setting up a find at a zero interest rate loan over 20 or 30 years would be one way of doing that" he added.
