Tenants at Cruise Park breathe sigh of relief

Property firm Twinlite have assured residents living in the Cruise Park estate, Tyrrelstown, that they will not be put out on the streets when their leases expire.
Controversy arose earlier this month when 40 tenants began receiving letters saying that their leases will not be renewed once they expire.
Affected residents later established the Tyrrelstown Tenants Action Group in the hope of raising national attention to their dilemma and calling for the withdrawal of these notices.
The recent move by Twinlite came on the back of a deal in which Ulster Bank sold an €89m loan it had on its books to a Goldman Sachs vulture fund.
Following widespread criticism, Rick Larkin, a director of the construction company, recently stated that the tenants from the Cruise Park estate will not have to vacate their rented properties without having secured alternative accommodation.
However, while he said he sympathises with their concerns, he maintained that the tenants must have known at some point that their homes would be sold as they signed a one-year lease and renewed it every year, adding: “We’re a business, not a charity.”
His comments came as residents prepared to hold a demonstration outside Leinster House.
Cllr Paul Donnelly (SF) said that Larkin’s recent assurance “will no doubt be a sigh of relief from the residents facing eviction”.
“I think what Rick Larkin said was very significant. One of the main things we have called for is that people would be allowed to stay in their homes if they can’t find alternative accommodation.
“He said that if it comes right down to it and there is nowhere else for the tenants to go then they will keep them in their property until they find somewhere else to go.
“I think this issue has helped to highlight what many tenants living in rental accommodation are facing and I feel like we need to push on from here by introducing legislation for tenants and dealing with the homeless crisis,” said Cllr Donnelly.
Tyrrelstown Tenants Action Group also recently staged a protest at Davy House which then proceeded to Dail Eireann.
Ruth Coppinger (AAA) also raised their concerns in Dail Eireann.
She said: “The fact that hundreds of houses were bought in one transaction and that the fate of so many families lies in the hands of one greedy investment fund says it all about how the private market has been allowed dominate housing by successive governments.
“A housing emergency rages in Dublin West, as evidenced by a recent report that said 40% of all homeless Dublin families hail from this constituency.”