Read on Twitter
Good that #OscarTraynorRoad deal was struck down by Cllrs. Didn't represent value for money. However the constant vilification of private construction by certain quarters is idiocy, based on a false pretense. Private firms have always delivered public housing in Ireland. (1/n)
Take Drimnagh for instance. Construction started in 1930's and is still hailed as a success today. The area was built via partnership between the Corpo & Associated Properties (building half each). Fact of the matter is the claim that construction can be 100% done in house (2/n)
by Council is a fallacy & betrays fundamental lack of understanding of construction. On the scale Dublin needs, we'd have est. 10 sites going for the next 10 years. All would need a manager, senior & junior engineer. At market rates that's €1.7mn on wages for those alone. (3/n)
There's also pension costs, etc for those 3 employees per site. That's before you've any tradesmen on site, or H&S and admin staff or QS. Follow those with architects fees, engineering consultancy fees, BCAR compliance & inspection fees, independent testing & commissioning. (4/n)
Lump on cost of materials and insurance then! Of course, the land is free, which is a plus, but that saving doesn't put a dent in the long term cost of basically employing an entire construction company on the books of the Council. This isn't Lego we're talking about. (5/n)
PPP's are the way to go with local authorities directly hiring construction firms to build for them on their land, but even that will require a large number of additional Council employees with sufficient expertise to oversee. Those who say "get the council to direct build" (6/n)
are the kind of people you see on Grand Designs making themselves project manager & subsequently going 200% over budget & 2 years over programme. Construction isn't easy. Again, it's not Lego! Politicians need to stop treating it as such. There's no magic quick fix. (7/n)
We've a decade of low production to overcome and that will take time. Saying private construction has no place in provision of social/affordable housing will make that process longer.
Signed; someone currently overseeing the construction of 1000 affordable homes in Dublin. (8/8)
Signed; someone currently overseeing the construction of 1000 affordable homes in Dublin. (8/8)
