Minister says Ballymun towers to be demolished this summer

Work on the demolition of the Ballymun towers in north Dublin will get underway this summer, the Minister of State for housing, Mr Noel Ahern, maintained yesterday.

Commenting on the stand off between Ballymun Regeneration Limited (BRL) and the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) the Minister said "in recent days things have begun to look more hopeful".

The HSA recently insisted it would not sanction the demolition of the towers until asbestos used in paint and glue on Aertex tiles in some flats, was removed in accordance with international best practice. The authority's ruling could delay the demolition of the seven Ballymun towers by up to four years and add €120 million to the €2.5 billion cost of the project.

Announcing its stance the authority said asbestos represents a class one carcinogen and the method of removal proposed by BRL could release airborne particles which pose a threat to the health of 20,000 people in the locality, as well as the workers on the project.

However, the Minister who is a TD for the area has accused the HSA of being "too dogmatic". Yesterday he said the most recent information was that the paint or glues containing a "small amount" of asbestos had not been used in all flats and he was "confident" the demolition would proceed within months. The Minister's Department was, he said, in negotiations with the HSA and was "expecting early progress and early agreement".

Last night the HSA appeared to confirm the Minister's optimism.

The authority also indicated that the estimated amount of asbestos in the flats may be less than the 120 tonnes it had been led to believe.

The HSA said: "We will continue to make ourselves available to advise and assist BRL with a view to ensuring that the law and internationally accepted standards of best practice are adhered to.

"The authority believes that all parties are committed to achieving a satisfactory outcome and we will play our part to facilitate that outcome."