West Belfast Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Falls Residents protest at Margaret Ritchie 'Public Forum' meeting

Published: 8 September, 2009

Members of the Falls Residents Association staged a protest outside the Radisson hotel on the Ormeau Road this evening, Tuesday 8th September, before a 'Public Forum' meeting held by the Department for Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie.

The residents carried posters demanding that the SDLP Minister overturn her decision not to demolish Ross Road flats in the lower Falls area.

In March 2008, Frank McGreevy was murdered in his home in the Ross Road flats. In the aftermath of Frank McGreevy's murder the Housing Executive carried out a survey in relation to the flats and recommended that they be demolished and that the area should be redeveloped.

Eamonn Andrews, Falls Residents Association chairperson, said:

'It is clear that the layout of the flats and the area around it makes it much easier for anti-social behaviour to occur. The residents living in these flats have reinforced doors. Frequently the main door into the flats has been broken open and drink and drug sessions have been held in the hallway.

'Residents have been terrified and their quality of life has suffered. How would Margaret Ritchie feel if she had to live without the feeling of relative peace and safety?

'Margaret Ritchie's decision is wrong and the Falls Residents Association will continue to campaign until the Ross Road flats are demolished and replaced with good housing that people can feel safe and comfortable living in.'

Falls councillor and MLA Fra McCann said:

'I fully support the efforts of the Falls Residents Association to have these flats demolished. I have called consistently for good, decent housing for this area, with due regard to community safety being fully taken into account in any redevelopment.

'Margaret Ritchie has let down the people of the lower Falls area. It is not good enough and we will continue to work until we achieve peoples demands for proper housing.'

In the meeting, Robert McClenaghan from the Falls Residents Association challenged Margaret Ritchie on her decision and accused her of treating the Falls community with disrespect.

Eamonn Andrews, chairperson of the Falls Residents Association, then handed the Minister a letter of protest from the Falls Residents Association and a petition with the signatures of over 1,000 members of the Falls community.

The text of the protest letter handed to Margaret Ritchie at the 'Public Forum' meeting by Falls Residents Association chairperson Eamonn Andrews is as follows:

To the Minister for Social Development, Margaret Ritchie MLA

On behalf of the Falls Residents Association, I am writing this letter to appeal to you to reconsider your recent decision not to demolish the block of flats in Ross Street , where local man Frank McGreevy was murdered last year.

This block of flats is a continued point of association for anti-social elements within the lower Falls area. It is a spot where drug dealing, drug taking, solvent abuse, and underage drinking occur daily.

Residents of these flats have to live behind reinforced doors. Wheelie bins are often set on fire, windows are frequently smashed, property and cars are vandalised and local people have been attacked and abused both verbally and physically.

The entrance doors are persistently broken open by groups who gather in the corridor and stairwells to drink and take drugs, leaving residents as virtual prisoners in their own homes.

Many of these incidents have been documented by senior Housing Executive officials and the PSNI, and have also appeared in the media, so the problem of anti-social behaviour associated with the flats in particular has been known for sometime now.

Community representatives have worked continually to tackle this scourge within our area and it is their firm opinion that the successful removal of Ross Road flats and its replacement with decent housing would make a positive difference. The social geography of this area is a critical factor in the problems that occur.

The Housing Executive has also carried out a survey and recommended that these flats are demolished and that the area is redeveloped.

I would once again call on you to reconsider your decision before someone is seriously hurt or worse. You have the power to help the people affected to live in relative peace and safety and I ask you to consider how you would feel if you had to put up with this type of threat and nuisance as a part of daily life for you and your family.

Please also find attached a petition which shows overwhelming support for the removal of these flats within the community.

Yours gratefully,

Eamonn Andrews (Chairman, Falls Residents Association)