Events

April 2011

Our very own Rita Fagan was given the great honour of being one of the Change Makers to speak at the Possibilities - A New Irish Social Change Initiative event along side the Dalai Lama in City West on the 13th of April. Rita was asked to tell her own story of her many years of activism and dedication to creating social change. As usual Rita took on this challenge with gusto. To see her speech in full click on the following link :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OYq1vJ66V0

Well done Rita and long may your fantatsic work continue you inspire us all!

January 2011

The two acre site is now completely surrounded by hoarding and the foundations are being dug and it now feels real for people. Many are watching and waiting. This brings much hope to people and is a shining light in Inchicore.

 

22nd December 2010

On this snowy day and in the excitement and madness of Christmas three families leave St.Michael’s Estate to new their accommodation in Inchicore. This occasion is met with an air of sadness coupled with excitement and anticipation for a brighter future. One woman worked very hard and was very active in trying to get the physical regeneration up and running and she achieved this prior to her move. There is now only one remaining resident currently living in St.Michael’s Estate.

 

 

December 2010

Following major opposition from service users, community projects, Canals local Drugs Task Force and local politicians the Health Service Executive closed the Methadone Clinic in Inchicore. This is a backward step and has left very vulnerable people without a local service. This service was working well and was positively received in the community and should not have been closed.

 

 

15th November 2010

The Long Wait is over!!

BAM Construction Company went on site which marked the start of phase 2 of the physical regeneration of St.Michael’s Estate. This involves the construction of 32 social units, 44 affordable apartments, a crèche and a local estate office. There was great excitement and celebration at this long- awaited event as it marks the promise of new homes for people who have waited and for those who have endured long waits on Dublin City Council housing list for a home.

 

 

17th September 2010

The Department officially gave the go-ahead for the funding of 32 social units to be constructed on the 2 acre site. Dublin City Council will borrow for the remainder the forty four affordable units, crèche and local estate office to complete the remainder of the project.

 

 

September 2010

As a result of deteriorating conditions a second long-time committed activist left the estate under the shadow of despair coupled with anticipation.

 

August 2010

One of the local key community activists left the estate as she was unable to wait any longer for regeneration.

 

 

July 2010

The tender for the construction of 75 units, a crèche and a local estate office on the 2 acre site up near the canal in St.Michael’s Estate  was send for final approval for funding to the Department of Environment and Local Government. A decision is expected in a couple of weeks and Dublin City Council are still committed to going on site ‘turning the sod’ in September 2010. This marks the beginning of phase two of the physical regeneration of St.Michael’s Estate.

 

 

July 2010

The construction of the new 50 bed Community Nursing Care Unit has been completed by the H.S.E. in St.Michael’s Estate in Inchicore. This is due to open early 2011.

 

April 2010

The Health Service Executive started their 10.73 million euro Primary Health Care facility on the former C.B.S. site in St.Michael’s Estate in Inchicore. This is due to be completed late 2011.

February 2010

Proposed Relocation of St. Michael's Estate Dublin City Council Local Area Office

Dublin City Council announced that it would be relocating the local estate office from the Goldenbridge Integrated Complex to another Dublin City Council location. This local office serves the communities of St.Michael’s Estate, Bulfin Court, Emmet Crescent and other local authority tenancies in the area.

This has come as a huge shock to the people in this area and was met with huge resistance from the local community because it is seen as an extremely important resource in this area. Meetings were held and lobbying took place in an attempt to try to reverse this decision.

In March 2010 Dublin City Council announced that they were undertaking a review of all their services in the South West Area and this will be completed in July so no decision about this will be made until this review is finished. This was met with a huge sigh of relief but local residents and community activists stressed to Dublin City Council the urgent need to keep this office to ensure the stability and the sustainability of these communities.

 

 

January 2010

At todays Regeneration Board meeting Dublin City Council announced that the start date would be June 2010 or at the latest September 2010, yet another delay!

17th December 2009

Rita Fagan member of the Regeneration Team and longtime community activist working with the residents of St. Michaels Estate celebrated 21 years of working on the estate. To mark this huge achievement the workers and residents of St. Michaels Estate and the wider Inchicore area organised a surprise party for Rita. This was a lovely event and a huge tribute to Rita with such a big turnout particularly from the local residents. Well done to Rita and may you be around in 21 years time!

27th November 2009

Rita was honoured by the Department of Applied Social Studies in NUI Maynooth for her outstanding contribution to Community Work, she recieved the inaugral John O'Connell Memorial Award.

 

 

November 2009

Dublin City Council announced the start date for the building of the two acre site for May 2010. This is yet another delay even though the Board members and residents were given a cast iron guarantee by the assistant city manager that the start date would be March 2010. Residents and Board members are furious with this as it seems new excuses are given for delays each month!

 

19th May 2009

Residents and workers of St. Michaels Estate marked the first year anniversary of the collapse of the regeneration projects in their area with a powerful piece of dramatic protest outside Anglo Irish Bank. Four proesters were dressed head to toe in gold and took on the following characters; The Bankster, The Golfer (from the K-rafty Club, The Cowboy Developer and the Galway Tent Attendee. For more information see attached

11th May 2009

Tenants First have commissioned a Policy Document that outlines a comprehensive plan for the regeneration of and building and sustaining communities and public housing. This is a very insightful and helpful document to all those communities that have been left in no mans land due to the council and the Department of Environments incompetence in the regeneration processes across the country. This document also exposes the amount of money paid to private landlords in the private rental sector rather than this money being used to plan and deliver sustainable social housing. This document will be available to download from our website in coming weeks. Tenants First will be launching the document on May the 11th in Liberty Hall at 10am to 1pm for more information see attached.

 

06th April 2009

The tenants & Regeneration Team of St. Michaels Estate were back outside City Hall Monday evening to highlight just what is happening behind the scenes of the regeneration or lack on the estate. Dublin City Council are now proposing to downgrade the regeneration board to a committee which will greatly reduce the community's participation and involvement in the regeneration process. It seems that it is always the people of the estate that are making the sacrifices, what had started as a 14acre regeneration plan has now been reduced to a 2acre plan and even that has no solid funding behind it. This attack on the Regeneration Board is a direct attack on participatory democracy at a time when all of Dublin City Council's literature is claiming to be an advocate of local involvement. For more information on the ethos and make up of the board see the projects section of our website.

 

January - March 2009

It has been a very busy few weeks for the St. Michaels Estate Regeneration Team, after launching Dr. John Bissett's book, "Regeneration, Public Good or Private Profit?" to critical acclaim in Dublin this January the team has gone on to embark on a national tour to inform communities countrywide who themselves are subject to 'regeneration' plans. For more information and to see where we will be next click on the dates above.

 

11th - 21st December 2008

On Thursday 11th December through to 21st December images from our protests ‘WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY’ will be exhibited in City Hall, Dublin.  Another exhibition on Homelessness in Dublin is also being displayed. 

01st December 2008

On Monday the 01st of December Dublin City Council's Multi Disciplinary Team are reporting back to the coucillors in City Hall, we will be back outside protesting untill the community's voices are heard by the state. PLEASE COME OUT AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT.

20th November 2008

Common Ground in collaboration with the Family Resource Centre and St. Michaels Youth Project invite you to "Tales from the Promised Land"

22nd October 2008

St. Michaels Estate Regeneration Team would like to offer congratulations and solidarity to the senior citizens of Bulfin Court Estate (all former St. Michaels residents) and all those who came to Dublin from all corners of Ireland to take a very dignified stand against the outrages medical card changes in this years budget. Well done!

7th October 2008

Thank you for all your support

6th October 2008

Residents and supporters from St. Michaels Estate, O'Devany Gardens and Dominck Street took to the streets to protest and remind Dublic City Council and the Department of Environment that we have not gone away and highlight that in this climate it is ok to bail the banks out and yet we have been waiting for the regeneration of our estates for the last 10 years, "why won't they bail us out" the people shouted. Walk in our shoes and you would know what it felt like to have your hopes and dreams for your future shattered.

 

25th September 2008

RTE's Prime Time have scheduled a programme this Thursday 25th September highlighting the issue of the use of Public Private Partnerships to build social housing (subject to no other significant news breaking)

 

12th September 2008

Sinn Feinn President Gerry Adams along with Aengus O Snodaigh TD and local Councillor for the area Criona O'Dalaigh visits St. Michaels Estate in a show of solidarity with the local community

September 2008

To date we have had no response, no results and no action from the second bidder Corcoran Jennsion, Dublin City Council or Minister John Gormley

 

July 2008

Dublin City Council are in talks with the second bidder Corcoran Jennsion to regenerate the 14 acre site

Please click here to sign our on-line petition.

 

16th July 2008

St. Michael's Estate Regeneration Team launch their Website and Online petition calling on the government and Dublin City Council to regenerate the 14 acre site at St Michaels urgently.

Please click here to sign our on-line petition.

30th June 2008

The three devastated communities protest again outside City Hall to coincide with the inauguration of Dublin's new Lord Mayor.

16th June 2008

St. Michaels Estate, O'Devany Gardens and Dominick Street acts out the funeral scene of James Joyce's Ulysses and create a visually stunning piece of protest art called "Bloomsday Doomsday".

9th June 2008

St. Michaels Estate, O'Devany Gardens and Dominick Street take to the streets dressed in black and had a funeral procession to reflect the death of their hopes and dreams, the procession started from the Smithfield area of Dublin along the Quays and on up to Cityhall.

26th May 2008

St. Michaels Regeneration Team calls for citywide solidarity and takes to the street outside Cityhall to protest for their regeneration

19th May 2008

Dublin City Council announces the Collapse of the Public Private Partnership Project in St. Michaels Estate to the St. Michaels Estate Regeneration Board.