Dunsink: Solving the Housing Crisis by Creating Another Crisis?

Niall speaks to Councillor Gavin Pepper and a local resident Niamh Lambert from Scribblestown about controversial plans to build a new town at Dunsink in north Dublin.

Fingal County Council’s draft Dunsink Urban Area Plan proposes the construction of 18,500 homes for a population of more than 46,000 people on over 1,000 acres of land beside Finglas, Ashtown, Castleknock and Blanchardstown. Most of the homes would be apartments, with some buildings reaching up to 15 storeys.

However, Uisce Éireann has warned that the full development cannot proceed unless two enormous infrastructure projects are completed: the €6 billion Shannon to Dublin water supply project and the €1.3 billion Greater Dublin Drainage Project.

While the first phase of approximately 2,500 homes could be supported through local upgrades, the remaining 16,000 homes would depend on new water and wastewater infrastructure that may not be operational for several years.

Hundreds of local residents have submitted objections, raising concerns about traffic congestion, pressure on schools and public services, excessive building heights, the loss of recreational facilities and possible health and environmental risks associated with developing land beside the former Dunsink landfill.

Supporters argue that Dublin urgently needs housing and that Dunsink is one of the largest undeveloped areas remaining inside the M50. Opponents question whether it makes sense to approve a town of this scale before the roads, water supply, sewage capacity and essential public services are firmly in place.

Is Dunsink an essential solution to Dublin’s housing crisis, or is the State attempting to build an entire town before the necessary infrastructure exists? And are the concerns of existing communities being properly heard, or are local objections preventing much needed homes from being built?