Senior council official defends record on housing delivery
The Director of Housing with Mayo County Council has hit back at suggestions that the Council isn't doing enough when it comes to providing housing.
Mayo County Council's Director of Housing has said it is "disingenuous" for councillors to suggest that the local authority is not doing enough to provide housing in the county.
Tom Gilligan said the council is not lacking ambition in providing housing. He made his remarks in response to Independent Cllr Mark Duffy who told last week's meeting of Ballina Municipal District that the council needed "more ambition" in retrofitting and repairing its existing housing stock, as well as providing new housing.
"We need to go after whatever grants we can, there are houses built for over 30 or 40 years that have never been repaired," Cllr Duffy said.
The Independent councillor welcomed news of upcoming housing projects in Church Manor, Castlefield Manor, Duffy's Bakery site, The Meadows and the Chesire Home site on the Killala Road but was critical that none of these projects were ready to proceed following the recent completion of a 50-house development at Rehins Fort.
"There are about 120 houses in the pipeline for Ballina but many of them are still at Stage 1. I don't know how we didn't have anything ready to progress after Rehins Fort."
"There is more pressure on housing every day and we need to increase our ambition on housing. This housing crisis is ongoing and we're not doing enough," he said.
Fianna Fáil Cllr Michael Loftus added that while housing projects in Ballina were welcome, he would like to see developments progress in towns like Crossmolina and Killala.
Party colleague Cllr Annie May Reape said recent data has shown that Mayo is one of the most popular counties for people to move home to from Dublin but there is a lack of affordable housing schemes for people wishing to return to the West.
Mr Gilligan said Mayo County Council has plans to address renovations in its housing stock.
"We take huge pride in our housing stock," he remarked. "We have a programme in place for retrofitting and repairs. It isn't all about construction, we have to look at using what is already there. There is a lot of vacant stock we want to use and we want to educate people about the grants and options available to them."
Mr Gilligan said the council does not lack ambition when it comes to building houses, adding that the local authority was given a target of 730 social houses by 2026 under Housing for All but is aiming to provide 1,004 units.
"We are lacking suitable land and resources. It would be lovely to finish one project such as Rehins Fort and move on to another but we can only work with what we have.
"I think the elected members have short memories. The Part 8 planning wasn't easy to secure for Rehins Fort. It is very disingenuous to say we're not doing enough."
Mr Gilligan said the council also intends to progress an application for affordable housing in the Ballina area soon.
