Residents of Old Bawn in Tallaght are divided on plans for the development of the area.
Tallaght in 1950 was a village of 350 people. It currently has a population of around eight thousand. By 1995, according to the draft development proposals it will be a town of in excess of one hundred thousand people.
In the past three years, 26 new firms have moved into the area providing around 3,000 jobs. In the past 10 years, a couple of thousand houses have been built and there are plans to complete 3,000 more houses by 1974.
With new communities come new problems.
Residents of the Old Bawn Estate are now split on plans to develop land around the housing estate. McInerney Construction have offered to build a play centre, two tennis courts, a football pitch and to renovate an old house for use as a community centre in exchange for support for their development plans. However, the Old Bawn Residents Association rejected the McInerney offer by 60 votes to one. Negotiations with the builders continued but further offers were also rejected and the chairman of the residents association resigned. The new chairman is Tony Devine who believes that what is on offer from the builders is simply not enough for the residents. He believes that what is on offer will eventually by provided by the council.
Old Bawn Residents Association member Bobby Flanagan believes that the meeting to discuss the offer was unconstitutional. Former chairman Bill White questions whether it was wise for the community to turn its back on the offer made by McInerney. He believes that the residents did not have the opportunity to debate the offer properly. Another committee member Pat Swaine was in favour of the McInerney offer and says that the committee has a mandate to secure facilities for the area.
The people of Old Bawn have rejected the short term offer from the developers and want the entire area as amenity land rather than more housing. McInerney's now say that they have given up plans to develop the area further. Plans for the area will now fall to Dublin County Council. Bobby Flanagan believes that by saving the land from the builder, more amenities will be provided for residents.
A mighty developer has been defeated but there's still some bitterness in Old Bawn in the aftermath of that last meeting which is a pity because the majority of the people on both the pro and anti sides of McInerney's offer just want the best deal for their children.
This episode of 'Seven Days' was broadcast on 5 November 1971. The reporter is Rodney Rice.
