Louth TD presses government for updated rural housing planning guidelines

Louth TD Ruairí Ó Murchú has pressed the government to outline when it will publish updated rural housing planning guidelines "so that people will be able to build and live in the area they are from".

The Sinn Féin deputy made the comments during Taoiseach’s Questions in Leinster House last week, where he also again highlighted the ‘massive problems’ that will be created by the 36% reduction in government allocation to Louth County Council’s tenant in situ scheme.

Deputy Ó Murchú asked Taoiseach Micheál Martin when the rural housing guidelines will be published. He said the Dáil was told they were with the Attorney General last summer. He said: “People just want to know that they will, if they follow decent planning conditions, be able to build and live in the areas they are from. It is necessary.

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“We have to look at planning as it concerns the modular and log cabin-type buildings discussed earlier. Like everyone else, I have been contacted by multiple people. We need to get on with that work. I understand it is a solution for a small number of people but it is necessary. We need to look beyond what is being spoken about at the moment”.

And he said it was "frightening" that Louth County Council, which was provided €18.884 million last year for social housing acquisitions, "has only been provided €12 million this year." 

He said: “That is a reduction of 36%. In my engagement with Louth County Council, it said it will be able to apply this scheme to fewer people. 

“People in the same circumstances as those who previously were saved from homelessness will not be saved now. There needs to be a rethink of a scheme that actually saved people from homelessness”.