'Shockingly Low' Investment in Leitrim region, Says MEP
Midlands–North-West MEP says lack of housing incentives has stalled development in Leitrim and neighbouring counties
MEP Ciarán Mullooly has told the European Parliament’s housing commission this week that private investment in areas like Leitrim has been “shockingly low.”
The Midlands–North-West MEP highlighted the lack of social housing delivery in the region and criticised the absence of incentives for developers to build in counties Leitrim, Roscommon, and Longford.
“I tell a story of visiting three local areas in my constituency in Ireland in recent weeks to speak to people on the housing list… Many of the issues that keep arising are related to the lack of finance, the lack of funding, and the lack of any sort of initiative to encourage development at the moment,” he said.
“Often, when you speak to people in the sector who talk about providing affordable housing, they will say there are no incentives,” he added.
Mullooly also claimed that there hasn’t been a new private housing development in County Longford in 17 years.
“This is an absolute collapse in the system, whereby the member state, first and foremost, or the Commission, or others, would be expected to provide the incentive, the support structure, and the initiative,” he said.