Sir, – The Religious Sisters of Charity argue that disposal of the former St Mary's nursing home land and Caritas convalescent home land on the Merrion Road opens up an opportunity to deliver "high-quality residential development and address housing need" ("Move by Sisters of Charity to rezone Merrion Road land would boost its value to ¤50 million", News, February 22nd). Can I ask whose housing need the good nuns have in mind?
Do they honestly believe that housing development in Dublin 4 will address the needs of Dublin workers, including those of nursing, cleaning, catering and administrative staff from their own adjacent hospital or indeed the needs of the approximately 208 workers who were made redundant when the sisters chose to close St Mary’s and Caritas? Are they suggesting that a site on the Merrion Road, expected to fetch in the region of €50 million, might be considered appropriate for social housing?
It is much more likely that the residential development the sisters have in mind is one which will address the needs of members of the wealthy international elite who these days are flooding into exorbitantly high-priced property in Dublin 4 or of our own homegrown elite, like private medical consultants, who need a town pad.
To suggest that this land could possibly contribute to addressing the city’s housing crisis is disingenuous to say the least. – Yours, etc,
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MARY DISKIN,
Bray, Co Wicklow.