A Look Back - Homes Not Hazards: ‘There’s Something About These Flats’

On Saturday, 28 June, we gathered at Tailors’ Hall in Dublin 8 for a photo exhibition showcasing firsthand accounts of people living in unhealthy housing conditions, in collaboration with the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) and the Just Housing research project at Maynooth University. Homes Not Hazards: ‘There’s Something About These Flats' documented the conditions in public housing in Dublin through photographs taken by tenants in local authority homes in Coolock and Dublin 8, along with interview excerpts from them.

This event brought the realities of the housing crisis face-to-face with the urgent need for climate justice. It was a day of shared stories, critical reflection, and collective visioning. It included a panel discussion, and a workshop, Just Transition for Tenants, facilitated by Aaron Downey, our Global Citizenship Education and Activism Support Officer. We also launched our ‘Warm Homes for All: Tenants for Climate Justice’ campaign’s toolkit and pledge.

Housing and climate – the same struggle

Ireland’s homes are a driver of the climate crisis—using 7% more energy than the EU average and emitting nearly 60% more CO₂. Poor insulation and fossil fuel dependence harm both people and the planet, leaving many in cold, unhealthy homes. We need to step up retrofitting across Ireland to cut emissions, lower bills, and ensure warm, safe housing for all - especially for renters and vulnerable communities. 

Which is why this event was so important to highlight the intersection of the two. Throughout the day people could view the photo exhibition, curated from images taken by tenants of Cromcastle Court in Coolock and the Emmet Buildings in Dublin 8. These weren’t just photos of buildings, they were testimonies of resilience and neglect. Mould-stained walls, draughty windows, broken heating, and damp stairwells told stories of systemic failure and survival.

Cromcastle Court was built in 1971, and its poor design has been the subject of media attention for years. A retrofit project was carried out in 2015, but it was done improperly and failed to address core issues as residents continue to face persistent problems. Meanwhile, the broader regeneration project, which aims to address these deeper structural and living condition concerns, has been repeatedly stalled and delayed. Phase one of the regeneration is now not expected to be completed until 2029. In the meantime, tenants have been forced to live in appalling conditions.

Through these visual accounts, it became painfully clear that many are living in homes that are cold, unhealthy, and inefficient - homes that trap people in energy poverty and vulnerability. They're riddled with the uncertainty of whether they will be able to continue living in their homes. In the Emmet Building, for example, 76.5% of units are affected by damp or mould. Recent research by Just Housing underscored the severe physical and mental toll this takes on residents, yet Dublin City Council has no clear plan to maintain or invest in the building.

These conditions are not just unjust; they’re a climate issue. Poor insulation means more fossil fuel use. Damp and decay undermine wellbeing. There is a target to retrofit 25% of social housing, yet only 17% of Dublin City Council flat complexes are currently included in the plans. Tenants are left behind as retrofitting schemes continue to prioritise homeowners.

Getting to the root, not just the symptoms

At the panel, Aaron spoke about the intersection of the housing crisis and the climate emergency, highlighting how both issues are deeply connected through inefficiency and neglect. We also heard from Dr Fiadh Tubridy, a researcher from Maynooth University who contributed to the Just Housing project funded by the EPA. Fiadh is a member of CATU and conducted interviews with residents in affected buildings as part of their research.

Joining the discussion as well was Aisling Hedderman, CATU’s Education and Training Coordinator. They provided background on CATU - a grassroots union focused on tenant and community empowerment- and reflected on how council housing has changed over time. They emphasised how, in the past, more care and attention were given to public housing, whereas today many council properties suffer from neglect and lack of maintenance. They spoke about how residents are coming together to articulate their demands, visualise change, and organise collectively with support from CATU, which is why this photo exhibition came to be. 

During the afternoon workshop, Just Transition for Tenants, we dug deeper. Rather than stopping at the surface symptoms of the housing crisis, we asked: What are the problems? And what can we do about it? This workshop will be followed by another session in September, which aims to bridge the gap between tenants and institutional actors by sharing evidence and lived experiences, and present a united set of tenant demands for inclusive retrofit policy.

In breakout groups, a shared pattern quickly emerged. Whether it was persistent mould, lack of insulation, or someone waiting 12 years to have a door fixed, these weren’t isolated issues - they stem from the same root causes: decades of underinvestment, neglect, and a failure by Dublin City Council and the government to prioritise public housing. The impacts of privatisation and systemic disrepair are deeply felt, and they intersect with the climate crisis, pushing people further into energy poverty.

We discussed how current policies are failing to protect renters, both in private and social housing. We highlighted how energy upgrades, while essential for climate action, are often inaccessible to those who need them most. We reflected on how both housing and climate policy continue to overlook the voices of those living with the daily consequences -  not putting the needs of the people first. 

Stronger together

One message rose again and again throughout the day: We are stronger together. It’s only through solidarity, between tenants, activists, and community organisers, that we can take on a system that divides and disempowers.

What became clear is the need for campaigning for tenant-first retrofit schemes, publicly funded and accountable, organising at the local level to pressure councils and landlords, and building a network of residents and solidarity across flats and estates to share knowledge and support.

We launched our ‘Tenants for Climate Justice’ toolkit, a practical resource to help people start conversations, take local action, and push for policies that centre both social and environmental justice.

Warm Homes for All: Tenants for Climate Justice Campaign Toolkit

Ireland’s housing and climate crises are not separate issues. They are different faces of the same injustice - a system that puts profit over people and our planet. But the energy in that room on June 28th reminded us that another way is possible. Together, we can demand homes that are warm, safe, and sustainable: not just for some, but for all.

Photos by: https://www.instagram.com/the_liberties_sos/

Text by: Ruth Jedidja Stael, Supporter Care and Fundraising Officer