Bed bug infestation in Temple Bar social housing complex ‘going on for months’ – Dublin Live

An infestation of bed bugs has been "going on for months" in a Dublin City Council apartment complex - and the local authority say it is not their responsibility.

At least one apartment in the Temple Bar complex has been infested with the bugs that "crawl out at night and bite exposed skin to feed on blood". And a response from the Dublin City Council boss confirmed there have been issues as far back as 2019 in the Crampton Buildings flat complex.

The Council response states that bed bugs are the responsibility of tenants and that previous pest control treatments were issued on the basis of a "good will gesture". They added that another round of treatment to tackle the current infestation will only be dispensed when the tenants sign a letter acknowledging it is their responsibility going forward.

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Independent Councillor Mannix Flynn said it was an "outrageous" response from DCC and that they were trying to "blaggard" tenants into signing non-liability contracts.

The response from DCC CEO Owen Keegan reads: "Housing Maintenance had contracted a pest control company to carry out pest infestation treatments in Crampton Buildings on 3 occasions in 2019 and 2020. This was done as a good will gesture, as the responsibility for this lies with the tenant.

"The Area Office and Housing Maintenance have agreed to carry this out one last time for the tenants, however they will have to sign a letter acknowledging this and agreeing to take responsibility for this going forward."

Cllr Flynn said this "is no way for a local authority to behave to loyal tenants. Again, if this was a private landlord, there would be protests outside that door. The local authority has an obligation to a proper code of conduct for their tenants and to treat their tenants with respect."

He added: "It has been going on for months. They have been re-infested, re-infested and re-infested.

"These bed bugs can be on their floors and doors and all sorts of things. It is so severe they basically have to throw out all the bedding and furniture and incinerate it."

Bed bug infestations are small flat parasitic insects "that live in cracks and crevices in and around beds," according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre's website. "They crawl out at night and bite exposed skin to feed on blood. Adult bed bugs are oval-shaped, flat and up to 5mm long - similar to an apple seed."

The HSPC website recommends throwing out any infected mattresses and warns that once they are in your home, "they can quickly spread from room to room". Most people do not realise when they have been bitten until they are left with a small mosquito bite-like red mark that itches.

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Bed bug infestation in Temple Bar social housing complex 'going on for months' - Dublin Live