Homeless people evacuated from protected Temple Bar buildings amid structural concerns

Homeless individuals have been relocated from two protected structures in Dublin's Temple Bar district following the discovery of significant structural concerns. The buildings, located at 24/25 Parliament Street and housing the Bridge House guest house, were being used under contract with the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) to provide accommodation.

Dublin Fire Brigade responded to reports of an "unstable parapet" on Thursday evening. Upon inspection, large cracks were visible on the facade, and sections of plasterwork were missing. The local authority's dangerous buildings unit took charge of the scene, cordoning off a portion of the street for safety.

Corduff JG Enterprises, a company associated with former Monaghan GAA football manager Séamus “Banty” McEnaney, owns the properties. Dublin City Council confirmed that residents were moved to alternative accommodation on Thursday evening. A structural engineer representing the owner and the council's dangerous buildings inspector attended the site on Friday.

Following the inspection, the council stated that the building is not considered in danger of collapse, and the precautionary fencing may be removed. The owner's structural engineer will monitor the building for any movement pending the erection of full scaffolding next week. The buildings have been undergoing significant construction work since last year, including renovations to increase bedroom capacity and internal modifications.