Rural housing is 'top of the list' for some Limerick councilors
COUNCILLORS in one electoral area in Limerick want to ensure that derelict properties brought back to life are given to families living within the same community.
The unanimous agreement was made between local representatives at a recent sitting of the Municipal District of Newcastle West, as the disposal of nine derelict properties was discussed.
The view was originally proposed by Cllr Michael Collins, after a disagreement over the disposal of a property at Kilmurry, Feenagh in County Limerick broke out.
“I think that any of the houses we have disposed of there should go to people in those rural areas,” Cllr Liam Galvin commented.
The Cathaoirleach, Cllr Galvin, told his colleagues at the meeting, that housing was now “top of the list of issues.”
“We have to look at the state of our housing stock. We have to improve what we are doing. There are derelict houses all over the city, county and villages of Limerick. It has to be addressed,” he said.
Cllr Jerome Scanlan stressed that having gone through the city and county development plan, local representatives are trying to provide “rural housing for rural people.”
He questioned the disposal of derelict properties in the municipal district to the Focus Housing Association, as part of a scheme to expedite the council’s dereliction programme.
The Land Aggregation Scheme, introduced by LCCC in 2010, was designed to help the council treat backlogs of derelict houses in the district, under a low-cost sale to Approved Housing Bodies (AHB).
“We have to think of people that can’t get to the bank or credit union to get a loan, and we are going to help those people. Anything we can do to get them off the housing list, we should do,” Cllr Francis Foley said of the scheme.
In an update, a representative of the council's Housing Department informed local representatives that there was a lack of “need” for four-bedroom houses in the area, in response to the questioning of unfinished and vacant four-bedroom houses lying dormant in the district.
Cllr Michael Collins took issue with the statement, saying that he was personally aware of families in the area living in what they would consider, “sub-standard council housing” that would “gladly take” a four-bedroom housing unit.
“I don’t think it’s fair to say we don’t have a need or use for four-bedroom houses.
“We have large families that are crying out and making phone calls to all of us, looking constantly for a larger house, and we should consider that,” the Fianna Fáil representative and former mayor concluded.