Proposed Dublin 8 homeless hostel challenged by residents

A legal challenge has been brought over Dublin City Council’s decision to allow a former community centre be converted into a hostel for homeless people.

The Carman's Hall Interest Group, the Michael Mallin House Residents Association and a youth and community worker, Elizabeth O' Connor, have sued over plans to use the former parish centre at Carman's Hall, Francis Street, as a hostel for the homeless.

The Council decided in late October to convert the community centre, closed in 2013 over fire safety concerns and a lack of accessibility, into a ‘dial a bed hostel’ accommodation for 65 homeless men, it is claimed.

It was intended the building, owned by the Dublin Roman Catholic Archdiocese and leased to the council, was to be operated by the Dublin Simon Community and the Salvation Army and was due to open later this week.

The residents groups, represented by Niall Handy BL, say local people are very angry over what has happened and are seeking to block the move.

The residents had been actively campaigning to have the hall reopened as a community centre, the court heard.

They say their action is not about “Not in my back yard-ism” and the proposed hostel means an undue concentration of services for the homeless and those with addiction problems within a very small area of the south inner city.

The groups also say neither they nor their public representatives were consulted about the proposal.

In their action against the Council, they want courts orders quashing its decision of October 26th last permitting the change of use of the hall. They claim the decision materially contravenes the Dublin City Development plan and is irrational, unreasonable, and null and void.

Permission to bring the challenge was granted on Monday, on an ex-parte basis, by Mr Justice Richard Humphreys who placed a stay on the council's decision until the matter next returns before the court. He adjourned the case to January 17th next.