Connell calls for action on housing
Cavan County Council must move to purchase vacant bank owned properties to address a growing housing list. The issue was raised by Cllr Noel Connell (SF) at this month's local authority meeting.
Cllr Connell's motion asked how many social houses the council has available and the number of applicants waiting on social housing.
The Mountnugent representative told the Celt that he is regularly contacted about the issue: “At the meeting I said people were contacting me about the issue every month, but it's increasing. This week alone two people have contacted me.”
In a reply Director of Service, Eoin Doyle, said an acquisition team set up in the housing agency of the Department of Housing communicate with the local authority about properties banks make available. If houses are identified details are forwarded to the local authority: “We respond if they are attractive and we have a demand for them,” Mr Doyle said.
The Director of Services said Cavan County Council had purchased six properties so far in this manner and a there are number of others they had “expressions of interest” on.
Cllr Connell was dissatisfied with the reply: “I wasn't very happy with Mr Doyle's response. If there are houses lying vacant for 10 years and they are good enough for people to live in then they should be taken on by the council. They should be taken from the banks, after all we bailed the banks, and the council should take possession of them.”
The Sinne Fein councillor said the council must take a proactive approach: “If the bank is not putting them up for sale then why are they being left there for anti-social behaviour to develop?”
He said they should be compelled to sell the properties to the local authority: “If the council want to buy land to put a turn on the road then they can put a CPO on it, and make me sell it at a price they name. There are vacant houses in Ballyjamesduff, Virginia, Killnaleck and other town. The council should be able to operate in the same manner,” Cllr Connell said.
He said he will pursue the matter: “I won't be letting this issue go. I definitely will be following up on this,” Cllr Connell concluded.