THE chairman of the North Wall Community Association in Dublin has warned the future of the dockland community is in danger and "may not survive" as the area suffers the effects of the recession.

Gerry Fay criticised the DDDA and local property developers amid what he said was a notable exodus of families and individuals from the docklands.

"Things like the Big Wheel represent the absolute height of optimism for the area. Opening new hotels and bars made no sense in this climate, and things are now very quiet all around and people are deserting the docklands. Families are leaving saying there is nothing here for them anymore. The whole place is emptying out," he said.

According to Fay, the docklands community was promised a range of measures when plans to overhaul the area were introduced which have not yet materialised.

An agreement was reached between Treasury Holdings and Fay's association after months of meetings in 2003, which promised provisions such as play areas, a linear park, a school, a plaza for concerts and a relocation of social housing units.

"We bought into this master plan that was originally put to us by the docklands authority that the developments around us would lead to social regeneration. We were promised €15m for a new school and a lot of new social housing units around the whole North Wall area but we haven't received that."