Affordable housing an 'emergency' in Kildare
This photo is for illustrative purposes only
Kildare politicians brought issues of housing in the county to light during the last few weeks.
Labour TD Mark Wall described what is happening with housing in Kildare as an “emergency” and brought attention to issues affecting Kildare people under the the recent Housing Commissions Report.
He mentioned the Croí Cónaithe scheme, which aims to support the building of apartments for sale to owner-occupiers.
“I am dealing with five cases in which people simply cannot afford the outlay of €50,000 for the Croí Cónaithe grant. Those people could move in, thereby taking themselves off the Kildare County Council homelessness list.”
Deputy Wall also asked for an update on the tenant in situ scheme that allows the Housing Agency to buy homes from private landlords where tenants face eviction.
He said: “There have been 140 approvals in County Kildare, but last November there was a diktat from the government stating that since the council’s target has been achieved, it would get no more money.
“Unfortunately, I had to deal with the fallout of that over the Christmas period. In Kildare. Where I’m from, several landlords are waiting on news as to whether the tenant in situ scheme will continue.
"Those facing homelessness need the scheme."
Sinn Fein TD Réada Cronin also weighed in on housing, mentioning the "extortionate" price of housing in Kildare North exceeding €500,000. In the same vein, she called the tenant in situ scheme a “lifeline to so many people who face eviction" and was "disgusted that this scheme has been suspended in Kildare for people facing eviction".
In the Seanad, Aubrey McCarthy spoke suggested the development of a housing task force to deal with the crisis.
“We need to remove the bureaucratic barriers that delay the housing projects, increase investment in modular and rapid build housing, and strengthen protection for renters. The establishment of a housing task force would ensure accountability, but it would also ensure co-ordinated action rather than fragmented efforts.”
