Council 'optimistic' it will secure funds to refurbish vacant house in Limerick town
A COUNCIL-owned house which has been vacant for more than four years will be refurbished and allocated to a new tenant by next summer, councillors have been told.
The property - at 24 St Mary's Park in Rathkeale - has been the subject of discussion at several meetings of the Adare/Rathkeale Municipal District and last month it emerged the local authority does not have the necessary resources to fund the works.
This attracted strong criticism from local councillors and a further update and report were sought ahead of this month's meeting.
In a written report circulated to elected members last week, senior engineer Conor Culloo stated the property has now been included in a "special funding application" under the Social Housing Capital Investment Programme which is administered by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.
Under the programme, councils are allowed to group a number of houses requiring works into 'lots' which are then put out to tender under a single contract.
Mr Culloo told councillors he is "optimistic" the application (for funding) will be approved and that the council will be in a position to appoint a contractor to carry our the works early in the new year.
He said significant works need to be carried out before the house can be re-let including the demolishing of an extension at the rear of the property.
"There is a concrete plan," he stated adding that a "reduced scope of works" has been identified in the event that funding is not allocated by central government.
When pushed by councillors, the senior engineer said he could not guarantee when the house will be occupied but he expressed confidence there will be tenant living there in "six to nine months".
While welcoming the update, several members reiterated their dissatisfaction with the slow rate of progress to refurbish and re-let the house since it was vacated by the previous tenant.