Residents of apartments above the Markievicz Leisure Centre off Tara Street in Dublin city centre are planning to protest proposals to demolish the building to build an underground Metro Link station.
John Dean, Chairperson of the Save Markievicz Pool & Gym campaign told Newstalk Breakfast that there are other solutions and it is not necessary to demolish the building which is home to 150 people.
“They could drill down through shafts on either side to make the station underground. We don’t think it’s necessary to knock down the building.”
He said that the residents and members of the campaign were not opposed to the Metro and they realise that public transport is necessary.
“We just want it to be done in a non-destructive way.
They don’t have to knock down an entire building to build an underground station. They don’t have to clear the site.
Mr Dean suggested that the nearby Apollo House site, which was recently cleared, would have been a perfect alternative location.
He said he was confident the protest would be successful as previous protests such as that against the use of the Na Fianna GAA ground in Glasnevin and south of Charlemont had succeeded.
“It can be changed and the Metro can go ahead.”