COMHAIRLE CHONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE 1

Monday, June 19, 2006

QUESTION NO. 4

QUESTION: Councillor E. Maloney

"To ask the Manager to confirm the inclusion of the Council's maisonettes at Balrothery Estate in the forthcoming DOE Scheme for windows/doors replacement?"

REPLY:

All council houses built post -1996 are fitted with double glazed windows, accounting for 11% of the Council’s housing stock in the Tallaght/Rathfarnham areas. South Dublin County Council’s countywide Accelerated Gas Fired Central Heating Programme has just been successfully completed ahead of the National Anti Poverty Strategy targets. In order to maximise energy efficiency in the Council’s rented housing stock and in the interest of achieving common quality standards, the County Architects Department in association with the Housing Projects Section has  decided to proceed with  a number of programmes including a countywide window replacement programme and a programme of outer cavity wall insulation.

In the first quarter of 2005 a sample survey was carried out on windows in 12 estates countywide in order to determine the fabric condition of these windows. Following analysis of the results of the survey it was decided to proceed with a pilot programme of 622 units in designated estates as follows: Kilcarrig Estate, Killinarden Estate, Drumcairn Estate, Tallaght and St Marks Estate, Clondalkin. Funding for this pilot programme was notified from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in March 2006. The tendering procedure is currently in process for this window upgrade programme. The closing date for receipt of completed tenders is 9/06/2006. It is anticipated that this programme will commence by Autumn 2006.

Subsequent phases of this programme have not been decided on as yet, as this will depend on progress in the pilot programme. There are 12 maisonettes and 4 Council rented dwellings  in Balrothery, which were built in 1978. As this is a countywide programme the Council’s maisonettes in Balrothery Estate will be included under the above programme. The Architectural Services Department has indicated that based on the numbers of dwellings requiring double glazed units and the scope of works involved, the programme is likely to be phased over the 6 year period 2006-2011.