'She seemed shocked': Residents of Cork city flats welcome visit by council chief executive to view poor conditions

LOCAL authority tenants in the Noonan’s Road and St Finbarr’s Road flats have welcomed a visit by the chief executive of Cork City Council, Ann Doherty, the assistant chief executive, Brian Geaney, and the city architect, Tony Duggan, which lasted over two hours on Monday night.

During the visit to the flats, which residents have said have been “forgotten” by the council for decades, Ms Doherty apologised to residents and said she was “shocked” at conditions there.

While visiting homes on Noonan’s Road and St Finbarr’s Road, of the executive saw first-hand homes which are covered in mould and damp, prone to rodent infestation, and suffering from structural damage.

William O’Brien, a community activist who has been highlighting the poor conditions in the flats, said it was good that Ms Doherty and other member of the executive had visited the flats.

“When one local resident who is 10 told Ann Doherty that when she sees a bus coming, she hides because she doesn’t want people to know she lives in Noonan’s Road, that really hit me,” Mr O’Brien said.

“I said to Ms Doherty that that girl could one day be the Lord Mayor or the chief executive. Children in Noonan’s Road need to have the same opportunities as children anywhere in the city.

“This is a human rights issues affecting local authority social housing tenants living in our community. Equal opportunity and quality living conditions are basic human rights,” he said.

‘Arses need kicking’ over poor living conditions at Noonan's and Finbarr's Road, says Cork City Council chief executive https://t.co/OzaYQHdkGG

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Sandra Murphy, a local who was there to her neighbours, said Ms Doherty had appeared genuinely shocked at conditions in the flats.

“She does seem shocked, but the conditions here are shocking. I just hope they can see what they need to do for people, and do it as soon as possible,” she said. "They need to move people out, knock the flats, and rebuild."

Fine Gael councillor Shane O’Callaghan, who is chair of the Cork South Central ward, welcomed the visit and paid tribute to William O’Brien and the local residents for their work in highlighting issues in the flats.

“I think visiting the area personally has brought home to the executive the urgency of addressing the problems here, and that visit is testimony to the advocacy which has brought this matter to the fore,” Cllr O’Callaghan said.

Cllr Dan Boyle of the Green Party, said that despite the great shame that the flats had been allowed to fall into such disrepair, there was a sense of movement now, and he felt residents and councillors were united in a common purpose.

“We need to get this moving between now and the end of the year, and we have an opportunity here to make things better for all of the residents,” he said.