Locals may protest at tunnel sites

North Dublin residents are considering a series of sit-ins at Dublin Port Tunnel work sites to protest at damage caused to two houses in the Annadale housing estate in Marino.

The tunnel runs directly beneath the estate and work on the first portion of the project has just been completed in the area.

Last week it was reported that cracks had appeared at the home of the Woods family at Annadale Crescent.

However, Mr Stephen McQuillan, of Annadale Drive, told The Irish Times yesterday that his house has been damaged also.

Cracks have appeared in the kitchen and dining area of Mr McQuillan's house and the owner said that cement keeping roof tiles in place had also shifted.

Local Independent TD Mr Finian McGrath said that the failure of Dublin City Council to disclose the damage to residents and their public representatives showed a lack of respect on the part of senior management at both the council and the project contractor, NMI.

As chairman of the Marino Consultative Port Tunnel Committee, Mr McGrath said that he should have been briefed on all developments, particularly any structural damage to homes along the tunnel route.

"The fact that this all happened over two weeks ago and nobody has been told is absolutely appalling. It shows a lack of respect for the people in the area and it is simply the wrong way to treat people," he said.

"Only last week, the council said there were problems at just one house, but it seems while they were saying that they knew there was a problem in at least two houses."

Mr McGrath said his fear was that other homes may have been damaged. He felt that people might not have wanted any publicity and accordingly might not have come forward.

He said that the council should pay out compensation amounts considerably in excess of the €5,000 offered to residents living above the tunnel.

It is understood that the residents will be meeting to consider the latest developments and will then decide what action to take.

A programme of civil disobedience is being seriously considered.

City engineer Mr Michael Phillips said that if the cracks discovered at the McQuillan house were found to have resulted from the tunnelling, the council would fund all repairs.

Interim repairs could be carried out in the short term and more permanent work could be done when the second tunnel had been completed in about nine months' time, he said.

He added that the occupants of the house had informed the council of the damage in a private letter.

The council had a duty to respect the owners, who wanted the matter handled privately.

"We try to keep people informed, but we have calls coming in all the time, and if we passed all of them on to local representatives, councillors would be snowed under," he said.

Mr Phillips insisted that while the residents of the house may believe that the tunnelling caused the cracks, that had not yet been determined.

A spokesman for the main contractor, NMI, was unavailable for comment yesterday.