Councillor Tina MacVeigh has expressed outrage as a proposed hotel at the site of the Vicar Street Music venue was granted planning permission.
Developer Harry Crosbie plans to build an eight storey hotel, with a creative art studio and a bar. The application for the project which is supported by Failte Ireland states that it would contribute to the regeneration of the area.
Commenting Cllr. MacVeigh said: "The Dublin 8 area is being flooded with hotel, aparthotel and luxury student accommodation being built for profit, what we need are homes for people and purpose-built student accommodation that students can actually afford.
"There are thousands of households in our area on the local authority housing list while many people who don’t qualify for local authority housing cant afford escalating rents or get a mortgage. We need public housing for people on all incomes.
"Of course, we welcome tourism and tourist infrastructure, but not at the expense of our community. While developers seem to get free reign in the area, the community is left to fight for its right to a sustainable and liveable city. They are killing our community!
"My colleague Brid Smith TD and I will be working with local residents who have already been in touch with us to submit an appeal to An Bord Pleanala. We will also be seriously challenging new applications for more student accommodation and hotels. It is time for the Department of the Housing and the planners to answer some serious questions about how our city is developed - in whose interest? People who live and work here or just vulture funds and profiteers?"
