Department housing targets are being exceeded by Tipperary County Council

Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien has paid tribute to Tipperary County Council for exceeding the housing targets set for the local authority.

Officially opening three housing estates totalling 66 homes in Clonmel and housing projects in Two-Mile-Borris and Templetuohy, Minster O’Brien said the manner in which the local authority had delivered beyond the target set out was impressive.
He was speaking at the official opening of three housing estates in Clonmel - Glenconnor Hill, Glenconnor Close and Glenconnor Village.

Minister O’Brien, who spent Monday morning meeting residents, the county council teams involved and all those associated with the three housing projects, said it was a privilege to officially open the schemes. Glenconnor Hill, which has 26 houses, was awarded a Community Housing Public Choice Award by the Irish Council for Social Housing in 2021.
Residents of the nine house Glenconnor Close scheme, which was a project taken on by Tipperary County Council in conjunction with Clúid Housing, moved into their new homes a few weeks ago and it is expected that the 31 new homes in Glenconnor Village will be ready for occupation in a month’s time.

Minister O’Brien said he was delighted to see local authorities getting back to building social homes at a level not seen for decades.
“I understand that Glenconnor Hill was Tipperary County Council’s first major housing development in the county in over 20 years,” said Minister O’Brien.
He said he was impressed by the attitude of officials in Tipperary who possessed the attitude of not seeing problems but seeing solutions.

“I am very impressed by the way in which Tipperary County Council has provided quality social housing and had exceeded the target we had set for them,” said Minister O’Brien.
“The delivery of this target, with the Minister’s ongoing support, will make a very significant difference to the quality of life of those who are currently on our waiting list,” said Tipperary County Council Chairman Cllr Roger Kennedy.
Tipperary County Council Chief Executive Joe MacGrath assured Minister O’Brien that the housing needs in the county as set out in the Housing for All plan would be met.

“Tipperary County Council is committed to building sustainable communities that continue to be great places to live, long into the future.
“We welcome our new residents and wish them every happiness for the future,” said the CEO.

Tipperary County Council Housing Director Sinead Carr said Glenconnor Hill was the first major project built by the council in a long number of years.
The Housing Director pointed out that the department had set a target for Tipperary County Council to build 840 housing units under the Housing for All 2022 to 2026 plan.

Because of the progress already made, that target imposed by the department has been extended out to 1,125 units and progress to date indicated that the increased figure may also be surpassed.
Sinead Carr, speaking at the opening of Glenconnor Close, said that once the Housing for All initiative was delivered in 2026 the council would no longer be “playing catch-up” but would, from then on, be dealing with year-on-year needs.
“We are delighted to be here today and I wish the residents of the new houses the very best in the years ahead,” said James O’Halloran, Clúid Housing.