'Outrageous' empty homes problem - Ivan Bacik gets tour of Laois Offaly town's vacancy and dereliction

Vacant and near derelict building in the heart of Portarlington.

placeholder image — Vacant and near derelict building in the heart of Portarlington.

Labour Party Leader on campaign trail in the Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District

Ending the scourge of vacant and derelict homes in Laois will be a key priority for they Labour Party's candidate for Graiguecullen Portarlington electoral area who has shown his party leader Ivana Bacik some of the problems on a canvas in Laois.

Eoin Barry accompanied Ivana Bacik in Portarlington where her attention was drawn to what Mr Barry said was the failure of this Government to tackle the housing crisis.

Labour leader and its housing spokesperson Ms Bacik commented on what she was shown in Port and elsewhere.

“We can’t continue to let valuable spaces remain vacant, derelict or idle while communities nationwide face huge housing shortages and lack of essential spaces for communal development.

“Labour is calling for the reform of the Compulsory Purchase Process which would streamline the acquisition of vacant properties by local authorities. If there was one message from those we spoke with today it’s this: too many homes are lying empty and this is happening throughout this municipal district in places like Stradbally and Ballylynan. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

“Now is the time for ambition and to tackle this problem head on. To have one vacant home in the middle of a housing crisis is outrageous. I commend Eoin for highlighting the issue locally and will continue to work with him and other Labour candidates to build an Ireland that works for all,” she said.

Mr Barry said a relentless focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction is central to Labour's manifesto. He said this includes introducing a monthly report on vacant council properties, greater use of CPO powers, and an audit of half-used buildings.

"At a national level, we need to introduce use-it-or-lose-it planning rules for the huge number of empty homes and buildings to reinvigorate towns like Portarlington," he said. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

He said Labour has been to the fore in seeking to amend the Government’s Planning and Development Bill to achieve just that. Developers cannot be allowed to leave sites empty when the housing, vacancy and dereliction crises continue.

“We need to make it easier for local authorities like Laois County Council to take put vacant buildings to good use. There are many in the area I could point to on Main Street, where Ivana and I met today. Bureaucracy is slowing this down and this Government is failing to put a focus on housing and community spaces in Laois, and across the country.

“The current compulsory purchase process is too slow and cumbersome. If elected to represent the people of Graiguecullen Portarlington, I will work to ensure that we can act decisively to reclaim these spaces for the benefit of our society.

“Creating vibrant and safe communities is a key focus of all Labour local election candidates. Our community in Laois is in desperate need of affordable housing and accessible areas for collective use like parks and playgrounds. The time to act is now. I am asking voters to put their faith in me, a candidate with a plan to create a community that works for all, on 7th June in the local elections,” he said.

Mr Barry is one of three Labour candidates hoping to win seats on Laois County Council after the June 7 poll.