The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre is at risk of losing the Leeson Street premises that has been its home for the past 28 years, as it is being sold by a Nama debtor.
The centre had hoped to use donations to buy the Georgian house at 70 Lower Leeson Street, where it runs its helpline and provides counselling to more than 3,000 victims of rape and sexual assault and abuse every year.
It had managed to gather €1 million to buy the building, but the centre's chief executive Ellen O'Malley-Dunlop said she learned two weeks ago it was to be sold on the open market with a price of €1.8 million.
“We are dependent on a State grant that has diminished since 2008, and we can’t get State funding for rent, so we have to fund-raise to make up the difference.
“We’ve been lucky to secure donations to make our €1 million bid to buy the building, but we would never have enough to compete in the open market.”
The centre has nine years left on its lease and so cannot be evicted if it continues to pay rent.
However, its current rent is almost 40 per cent below that set for the building and, Ms O’Malley-Dunlop said, any new landlord would be unlikely to keep the rent so low.
“We had very good relations with the landlord, who very generously reduced the rent to €58,000, but any new landlord could very quickly put that back up to being in the €80,000s and maybe more, and that would scupper us entirely.”
The centre has sought alternative premises to rent, but has been unable to find anything it can afford of the size it needs, she said. Its current building accommodates 33 staff and 70 volunteers.
It would also be unable to meet new set-up costs, including establishing its 24-hour helpline (1800-778888).
Therapist
If the centre’s offer for the building was accepted, it would free up the money it spends on rent to employ another badly needed therapist, she said.
“I would appeal for our offer to be accepted. But if it’s not, I would urge anybody who could support us and help us to buy the building – so we can provide continuity of care to victims – to come forward.
“And I would ask anyone thinking of bidding against us, to please reconsider.”
The building is being sold by Nama debtor Sean Mulryan though CBRE. A spokesman for Nama said it didn’t comment on individual cases.
