RTE star Dermot Bannon denies receiving subvention to discuss government grants on Room to Improve
Despite stating several times that he would talk to the media present about the issue following a tour of a new housing development in west Dublin with Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien, Dermot Bannon later declined to answer questions on the topic
Celebrity architect Dermot Bannon has denied that he received any sort of subvention to discuss Department of Housing grants on RTÉ show Room to Improve.
Despite stating several times that he would talk to the media present about the issue following a tour of a new housing development in west Dublin with Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien, he declined to answer questions on the topic.
The Sunday Independent reported in January that Mr Bannon received a “private briefing” from the Department of Housing regarding government grants.
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The newspaper reported that a Room to Improve producer contacted Mr O’Brien’s team seeking information about the housing vacant grant. The scheme was talked about in detail on several episodes of the hit RTÉ show as participants were urged to avail of the subsidy.
Mr Bannon was present with Minister O’Brien at Wilkinsons Brook, a new development by the Land Development Agency in Hollystown in Dublin 15, on Friday morning. Mr Bannon “consulted” with Glenveagh Properties on the “layout and design of the home”.
During a tour of one property, Mr Bannon was asked by a journalist about the promotion of government grants on Room to Improve. Asked if his company received any subvention for discussing the grants, the architect said it did not.
Minister O’Brien defended the scheme being discussed on the show when probed on whether he was concerned about the controversy.
He said: “These grants are working really well. To be fair, for any show or any paper, any newspaper, any TV show, radio show, it's only right and proper they do their research.
“7,500 families have applied for this grant. Over 4,000 have been approved. It is up to €70,000 and it's about taking vacant homes back into use and derelict homes. It's making a real difference.
“I absolutely see no problem with it. I don't actually understand why there will be any difficulty whatsoever of informing the public about what's there to help them get a home.”
When it was said to Mr Bannon that he was given a “special briefing” on the grants, he replied, “Was I?” He then said: “We gotta keep moving. We’ve got a lot of houses to get to. I will talk to you at the end.”
Several journalists waited to speak to Mr Bannon following several speeches and house tours. Shortly before he left, Mr Bannon directed the media towards an official who could answer questions about the west Dublin development and declined to answer questions. He then left the development.
In January, RTÉ told the Sunday Independent that Mr Bannon and quantity surveyor Claire Irwin met with the Department of Housing’s vacant housing unit “in order to gain an understanding of the mechanism by which derelict property grants are available”.
“As standard, grants were applied for via case officers in the relevant Local Authority for their clients. There was no other communication with the department by Dermot or Claire.”
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