Louth based Senator holds housing meeting

A public housing meeting organised by Louth based Senator Erin McGreehan, was held on Thursday 14 March and brought valuable insights, she said, into the various government schemes under the flagship programme, the Housing for All policy.

“I get so many queries from constituents about buying houses or renovating houses, so I decided to hold this information evening to hopefully answer questions that have been raised,” Senator McGreehan told the Dundalk Democrat.

The Fianna Fáil Senator said the event which was well attended by party supporters and the general public, shed light on the financial supports available for people to buy their own homes, and the SEAI Warmer Homes Scheme.

Senator Mary Fitzpatrick, the Seanad spokesperson on Housing, took the to stage to outline the range of schemes designed to assist individuals in realising their dream of homeownership. The Housing for All policy, a key initiative of the government, aims to address the housing crisis and provide affordable housing solutions.

During her presentation Senator Fitzpatrick elaborated on the range of financial support mechanisms available to prospective homeowners. Some the items covered were the First Home Scheme and Help to Buy.

Senator McGreehan says that there were many questions at the meeting, on the Derelict and Vacant Home Grants. The Senator highlighted the fact that there is a housing crisis in the country and claimed that “there were many factors to this – including a decade of previous governments not making housing a priority, and also a huge population increase over the past years”.

She continued declaring that “Fianna Fáil believe in homeownership and that it should be a reality for everyone, we are fortunate to have a range of schemes and initiatives available to assist individuals in purchasing their own homes. we are committed to exploring all avenues to ensure that housing is accessible and affordable. “Constantly, adapting and working the schemes to make them count best”. 

In addition to the homeownership supports, Shane Murphy from Ashbrook Renewables shared valuable information on the grants available under the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Warmer Homes Schemes. These grants, the Senator said, play a crucial role in promoting energy efficiency and sustainability in housing, ensuring that homes are comfortable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly.

Senator McGreehan said that “it was a very successful evening and people who attended gained valuable information on their housing queries. Senator Fitzpatrick has worked very closely with Minister Darragh OBrien and has a huge level of knowledge of these schemes.

“Many people there were surprised at the amount of SEAI grants available, which were explained by Shane Murphy in his excellent presentation. A lady spoke to me at the end and she said she wished these schemes were available when she purchased her home years back”.

The event was also attended by Barry Cowen TD, who is one of the Fianna Fáil candidates for the Midlands North-West Constituency for the European Parliament elections on June 7 this year. He addressed the crowd outlining his reasons for running to become a MEP, including supporting rural communities, enhance balanced development and investment particularly on the commuter belt, energy security and protection of our taxation policy.