Over 30 million allocated for local authority housing in mayo
An allocation of €30,265,764 for local authority housing in Mayo has been widely welcomed.
The sum is to be invested in a combination of building, buying and leasing schemes by Mayo County Council.
Nationally, over €1.5 billion will be invested in a combination of building, buying and leasing schemes by local authorities designed to accommodate 25 per cent of those currently on the housing waiting lists in social housing.
The move comes as part of the government’s €3.8 billion social housing strategy, announced last November, out to 2020. Each local authority was asked to bring forward housing unit targets and specific building projects out to 2017. As part of the strategy, targets had to be agreed with each local authority in 2015.
An Taoiseach Enda Kenny said: “€30 million over the next three years is a huge investment in housing and I now expect Mayo County Council to deliver on the plans that they have submitted to the Department of the Environment over the next three years.”
The various schemes will target the refurbishment of vacant social housing units and local authorities will have the option of both building and acquiring housing. The average cost of building a social housing unit is €185,000 – meaning in some parts of the country it will remain cheaper and quicker to acquire as opposed to build.
Local authorities will have some discretion to adapt to local circumstances, but all will be expected to kick-start a building programme.
As part of the allocation to Mayo, 20 new housing units are to be built in Westport, the hometown of the Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring. He said the new units would go a long way towards reducing the housing list in Westport.
He added: “It is estimated that the €30,265,764 allocated to the county council for local authority housing will meet 38 per cent of the housing need in Mayo. This is not even including the Housing Assistance Payment, which will help to further reduce demand on our housing waiting list.
“The funding will help to create and sustain approximately 242 jobs in the construction sector, which was so badly affected by the economic crash of recent years. This is a really important part of the government’s plan to spread job creation and economic recovery to all counties around Ireland so that everyone can feel the benefit.
“I am delighted with this allocation for Mayo and in particular Westport. The announcement of these housing units will be very welcome news for those on the social housing list.”