The Housing Minister has clashed with a party colleague at the launch of 470 new homes in Inchicore.
There were awkward scenes as Eoghan Murphy launched the proposal for Emmet Road but his colleague Catherine Byrne announced she’s against it.
The Housing Minister arrived at Inchicore to announce the 470 new homes for the area at the old St Michael’s site under the country’s first Cost Rental Scheme.
Eoghan Murphy says this means the site will include social housing, with the remainder will be rented out to people at affordable prices.
"We can allow people to afford to be able to rent in their own communities, but we can also protect them from the very dramatic ups and downs of the market", he said.
However, his party colleague and local TD Catherine Byrne interrupted the launch to voice her anger towards it.
"I'm really upset that Dublin City Council are launching this today, when really there hasn't been any input from locals", she said.
Among other things - this proposal dashes St Pat's FC's hopes to build a UEFA-grade stadium.
Dublin City Council will have to give its approval for the 470 units so it’s in their hands whether its given the green light or not.
The club's president is urging them to stay away, and instead to contact their local politicians and voice their opposition by phone, email and letter.
In an open letter to Saints fans, Tom O'Mahony says abusive protests could hurt any future chance of their plans being accepted.
"It has been brought to our attention that some of you may be planning to show your opposition to the Dublin City Council plans for St Michael's Estate by protesting outside the homes of local politicians or at the launch of the plans next Monday.
We strongly appeal to supporters NOT to do this. It will not help our cause and in fact is likely to damage it. We need the goodwill of local politicians if our alternative plans are to have any chance of being accepted.
We do of course want you to engage with local politicians. Do so by phone, by e-mail, by letter, by talking to them in the course of their public engagements. Make your points in a friendly, reasonable manner and please don't be abusive in any way.
We know that many local politicians will be weighing up the Council's plans and deciding whether to support them or to argue for a rethink which would include our proposal. The last thing we need is to turn them against us!"
'Stackable' modular apartment units on display at trade show in Madrid
Meanwhile Dublin City Council is advertising the contract to build the city's first rapid build apartment block on Fishamble Street.
It's hoped it'll be ready for homeless families by March next year.
