Dozens of families have been left homeless, including several who face destitution from Monday, after a fire severely damaged an apartment complex in north Dublin.Former residents say the billion-euro Comer Group, owner-manager of the Auburn Park complex in Castleknock, has treated them “very poorly” since the blaze, which broke out shortly after midnight on May 21st/22nd.They say Comer Group, which is valued at a reported €1.09 billion and owns luxury hotels and residences across Ireland, Britain and continental Europe, terminated their leases days after the fire without informing them of their legal right to return after refurbishment on the same rents. This has since been guaranteed to them. Former residents have been given no commitment as to when they can move back, other than “six to nine months”. They say they were given no assistance in finding alternative accommodation and not referred to Fingal County Council. The fire-damaged apartments in Auburn Park. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni/The Irish Times
Residents told The Irish Times they got short “slots” to pack up their damaged belongings with threats that whatever they couldn’t remove in that time would be dumped. None was assisted or provided with boxes or storage facilities.All 45 apartments have been left uninhabitable due to fire, smoke and water damage. Of these, nine were owner-occupied and 36 were let by Comer.Though the majority of households moved in with friends or family – arrangements most say are unsustainable – a number were provided with empty Comer-owned apartments or hotel-rooms. They were told last week they had to leave these by June 4th. Following intervention by local TD Emer Currie and the council, the arrangements were extended. [ ‘Powerful and heartbreaking’: A couch is what Ireland’s homeless children say they want mostOpens in new window ]One family, including two children aged four and 17 months, had to leave their hotel room on Friday. They moved in with friends over the weekend. “They will need housing support from the council this week,” said Currie, a Fine Gael TD for Dublin West.The father, who did not want his family identified, has been told emergency accommodation “could be in Lucan, Celbridge, the city centre”. He works and his four-year old goes to preschool in Castleknock. “This will not work,” he says. They were in Auburn Park for five years. Repair work at the fire-damaged apartments in Auburn Park. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni/The Irish Times
