FEARS FOR THE FUTURE OF CARRAIG EDEN FACILITY IN GREYSTONES
OFFICIALS ‘EXPLORING ALL OPTIONS’ AS GREYSTONES FACILITY TO GO ON MARKET
OFFICIALS from the Department of the Environment responsible for housing, planning and community development paid a visit to Carraig Eden in Greystones last week as owners prepare to sell the facility.
The building functions as safe haven for these reintegrating into society following addiction, as well as those who find themselves unable to find somewhere to live and hoping to transition to permanent housing.
Cllr John Snell is chairman of the SPC for local authority and addiction centre Tiglin and arranged a visit to Leinster House prior to the Greystones meeting. The department officials are looking at exploring all options, according to Cllr Snell.
Carraig Eden is owned by the Irish Assemblies of God and houses over 32 individuals and families. Cllr Snell said that the potential sale of the facility jeopardises the security of those tenants.
The ‘Carraig Eden Foundation’, an organisation trying to save the house, believes that if the building is sold it is likely that it would be developed as apartments and its historic use as a community building supporting individuals would come to an end.
Noel Kenny of the foundation said that at this point, they have not raised sufficient funds to purchase the building.
The Assemblies of God in Ireland were going to put the building on the market last April, however, they delayed this for six months to allow the opportunity to raise funds to purchase the building and for the Carraig Eden Foundation to oversee the use and development of the building.
Carraig Eden was built almost 100 years ago by an organisation called Christian Endeavour and has been in Christian ministry ownership ever since.
In a video by the Carraig Eden Foundation, electrical engineer Glenn Cronan told his story.
‘When I arrived into this building I was unemployed, I’d been on drugs, I’d begged,’ he said.
‘I got a whole new aspect on life out here where people don’t go out committing crime, getting into fights or drinking. Four years on, I’m an engineer. I finished my final exam purely down to this building.’ The amount required to buy the building is €1.7 million.