TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE IRELAND (TII) has said it would have been neither realistic or practical to purchase a block of apartments on Dublin’s Townsend Street before the Metrolink plans were officially approved.

It comes after the suggestion by a representative of residents that an acquisition in the project’s early stages, rather than just last year, would have spared the owners and residents of 70 apartments psychological distress.

However, at an oral hearing into the transport project today at Dublin’s Gresham Hotel, TII representatives asserted that this idea “doesn’t actually make sense” as it would have preempted the official process.

“The remit of TII is as a public body to develop public transport infrastructure,” the hearing was told.

It was not the job of the body to “make speculative purchases of properties”.

The complex, which is located on Townsend Street, Dublin 2, contains 70 apartments, housing around 150 people, as well as the Dublin City Council-operated Markievicz Leisure Centre.

The complex is to be demolished to allow for the construction of the Metrolink network.

The proposed Metrolink will have 16 new stations running from Swords to Charlemont and carry an estimated 53 million passengers annually.

The estimated cost is €9.5 billion and construction is set to begin next year, with expectations of first journeys in 2035.

TII lodged a Draft Railway Order seeking permission for the project last year and received 318 submissions in response, with An Bord Pleanála deciding to hold oral hearings to facilitate third parties wishing to express concerns.

“I still contend that the appropriate response from TII would’ve been to step forward and offer to voluntarily purchase apartments,” said Tom Corr, speaking on behalf of residents.

In his view, the way in which TII went about the project is flawed and created a “hazard to mental health” of owners and residents.

“You’re taking away the home of the people who’ve saved for years, they’ve built up relationships with people and everything.”

TII was criticised for not adequately calculating the “human cost” of the Metrolink’s construction.

Metrolink station near Townsend Street Metrolink.ie Metrolink.ie

Another point raised today was the unique position small investors will be put in by the compulsory purchase order initiated by TII.

Compensation for a CPO is based on the property’s current market value.

This will be higher than what owners originally paid for the apartments as house prices have skyrocketed.

Due to capital gains tax, small investors will have to pay 33% of the value gained over that period of time. There is no mechanism to reimburse them for this.

This, they say, is too high a cost to pay, when they are being inconvenienced and their investments compromised.

The amount they’re left with may not be enough to purchase another investment property in a prime location, the hearing was told.

Leisure centre

Eight duplexes in the area will also be demolished as part of the works, bringing the total homes affected to 78.

Also in the firing line of the Metrolink plans is the Markievicz Leisure Centre, which is one of the few affordable community amenities in the inner city.

It was also on the agenda at today’s hearing.

Outside the Gresham Hotel, where the hearings are taking place, locals past and present, a small rally took place, with protestors saying: “Save the Markievicz, throw the plans in the ditch.”

Among them were Mary and Clodagh, frequent visitors of the leisure centre.

“There’s a lovely sense of community there,” said Clodagh.

“It’s just so much more affordable and to be removing that from a community where they might not have that much is just disgraceful.”

“I just feel bad for the kids in the community,” said Mary. “They’re going to get to about 10, and there’s going to be no community facilities.”

They have no faith that the amenity if demolished would be replaced.