Residents of a flat complex in Coolock, north Dublin, have been found to be living in dangerous and unhealthy conditions, according to a research project.
Concerns have been raised that Dublin City Council is not adequately maintaining the site because it is due for regeneration.
However, the first phase of the regeneration project is not due to be completed until 2029.
Cromcastle Court in Kilmore West in Coolock, was built in the 1970s and the precast concrete buildings, which were also used in Ballymun, are now the last ones standing in Dublin city.
Three blocks were closed due to movement being discovered in concrete staircases in 2018.
A recent survey by Maynooth University found that most of the remaining residents of the 54 inhabited flats are living in dangerous and unhealthy conditions.
The 'Just Housing' research project carried out in collaboration with the Community Action Tenants Union Ireland, found 90% of respondents were affected by at least two issues relating to maintenance and conditions in their home.
Among the issues identified were mould and damp, leaks, problems with heating and hot water, pest infestations, overcrowding, damage to windows and doors and poor water quality.
Despite a retrofit carried out by the council between 2015 and 2018, 80% of respondents said they have no control over the heating, saying they experience both very cold conditions in the winter and in the summer, temperatures of up to 28C.
Half of the respondents also had problems with new windows and doors installed during the retrofit, with some falling out or hanging from their frames.
83% of respondents reported that they are affected by pests, most frequently mice, although rats and insect infestations were also reported.
One resident described having caught hundreds of mice in the past year in her flat and said she has to wash any kitchen utensils and saucepans before using them.
37% of surveyed residents expressed concern about the quality of drinking water in their flat, describing the tap water as being yellow or brown, having a bad smell and also reporting it led to changes in hair colour.
76% stated that communal facilities and spaces in Cromcastle Court are inadequate and poorly maintained.
They said the fact that damaged access doors to the stairwell do not open and close properly is a fire safety concern and there is also exposed electrical wiring, broken lights in the balconies, leaks and structural damage to the stairwells and balconies.
50% of respondents also said that there was antisocial behaviour, due to the fact that there are a large number of vacant flats and the lack of recreational activities and facilities for children.
90% stated that the conditions in Cromcastle Court have negative effects on their mental or physical health or both.
They report experiencing frequent colds and chest infections linked to mould, damp and heating problems, developing asthma or other serious respiratory problems, including COPD, due to living in the flats and physical injuries due to the conditions of the building and grounds.
70% of respondents stated that submitting maintenance requests generally does not lead to problems being fixed, with many saying that works which are carried out are of a poor standard and do not result in problems being properly resolved.
The study concludes that the council's failure to progress regeneration plans and "lack of responsiveness and attentiveness" has led to the conditions which, it says, are not new and "have been very bad for years if not decades".
It says: "The existing system to address maintenance issues is not functioning and it is clear that urgent intervention is needed to address the problems tenants are facing."
Amy Rooney, who lives on on the first floor of one blocks, says she has issues with broken windows, loose electrics, damp and mice.
"If you have a bath or a shower, you have to open the window, but for us to open the window, you have to stand in the bath and when you open it, the window is hanging off," she says.
"Then upstairs is having a leak from her toilet, that's leaking through all over my ceiling and its cracking.
"In the middle of the summer, it's 28C on the thermostat. We can't move it, it just constantly blinks so we can't control the heating.
"The doors all are hanging off the frames, this one doesn't lock so I have a sock in it to make it lock. The sockets here aren't secured to the wall. It's dangerous, like I have kids.
"My daughter saw a mouse run across the counter and my flat is not as bad as half of them, some of them are worse," Ms Rooney said.
Regeneration was promised almost 20 years ago, but the first phase is not due to be completed until 2029.
In recent months, residents have held a number of protests about the conditions.
Social Democrats Councillor Jesslyn Henry said Dublin City Council needs to do more to maintain the flats while residents wait for regeneration.
"There's a lot of maintenance, a lot of upkeep that needs to be done on these flats," she said.
"But of course, that costs a lot of money and if they're going to regenerate are Dublin City Council actually going to do that? We just don't know. They need to be communicating with the residents here."
In a statement to RTÉ News, Dublin City Council said that it is currently developing a planning application for the redevelopment of Cromcastle Court.
It said that it has carried out a number of upgrades to windows, heating and roofs and that senior management have met with locals about their concerns.
"Phase 1 of the redevelopment of Cromcastle Court and the Old Coalyard site will deliver 152 new homes," the council said.
"These new homes will be a mix of one, two and three-bedroom social homes and include for 34 older person homes on the Old Coalyard site.
It said that the design development stage of this project is being completed, and that it has received approval from the Department of Housing to proceed to planning stage.
The council said the three closed blocks are on the site of Phase 1 of the redevelopment, and that it anticipated that demolitions will take place early next year - subject to planning permission.
In relation to the challenges faces by residents, the council said it is aware of them and has carried out works to existing homes there.
"In recent years the homes there have been upgraded to an average B1 BER rating from an original E1 rating through a range of measures," the council said.
"If tenants have any issues they can report them to the council through the normal channels and we will investigate."
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