Strong demand for affordable housing

Monaghan seeks rule changes to eligibility

Strong demand for affordable and cost-rental housing has been revealed in a new Monaghan County Council survey, as councillors unanimously backed calls for changes to eligibility rules that they say are locking many working families out of home ownership.

The survey, presented to the June meeting of Monaghan County Council, received 170 valid responses, with more than 70% of participants expressing an interest in affordable housing schemes.

A total of 120 respondents said they would like to avail of an Affordable Housing Scheme, while 50 indicated a preference for cost-rental accommodation.

The findings come as councillors called on Housing Minister James Browne to widen access to affordable housing by increasing income limits, allowing greater local authority equity stakes and removing what they described as restrictive “cliff-edge” eligibility rules.

Monaghan Town emerged as the most popular location, attracting 41% of responses, followed by Carrickmacross on 19%. Castleblayney accounted for 15% of demand, with Ballybay at nine per cent and Clones at seven per cent. A further 10% of respondents expressed interest in village locations including Emyvale, Smithborough and Doohamlet.

The survey also highlighted a strong demand for family homes, with most respondents seeking either three-bedroom (87) or two-bedroom (68) properties.

At the meeting, Fine Gael councillor Alan Johnston said the results showed the demand is there if more schemes are delivered.

“There are people ready to go,” he said, arguing that the council needed to ramp up affordable housing as a realistic alternative for those struggling to buy on the open market.

Cllr Aidan Campbell (FG) agreed, saying the local authority needed to look “very strongly” at providing more affordable and cost-rental homes.

The survey also found that 19% of respondents already have mortgage approval, while almost 60% have saved the required 10% deposit for affordable housing. Two-thirds indicated they would like further information about the schemes.

Welcoming the findings, Sinn Féin councillor Paul Gibbons said the level of interest shown in Castleblayney demonstrated the need for similar developments across the county.

Housing Director Olga McConnon told councillors that the council hopes to finalise sales of all ten homes in its affordable housing scheme in Carrickmacross in the coming weeks.

She said future schemes are likely to be most successful where the council partners with reputable developers in desirable locations and encouraged councillors to identify potential sites and interested applicants.

The council later unanimously adopted a Fine Gael motion seeking changes to the national affordable housing scheme.

Moving the proposal, Cllr Johnston said home ownership should remain an achievable goal for ordinary working people despite the ongoing housing crisis.

“We are trying to target younger families starting out who are significant taxpayers,” he said. “We need to ensure that the delivery of housing by this local authority is applied equally and fully to all citizens.”

Supporting the motion, Cllr Pauric Clerkin said many hardworking people currently fall between the cracks, earning too much to qualify for social housing but too little to purchase a home on the private market.

Independent councillor Seamus Treanor also backed the proposal, while urging the Government to significantly increase social housing income thresholds in counties such as Monaghan.

The motion received unanimous support, reflecting growing concern among councillors that current housing supports are failing to meet the needs of middle-income households struggling to get on the property ladder.