Roche Queries Council on Affordable Housing

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Roche Queries Council on Affordable Housing

Wednesday, May 16 2007

Minister Dick Roche has asked Wicklow County Council for an immediate explanation as to why a number of Affordable Houses in the constituency have been lying idle in some cases for over 2 years.

“It is utterly inexplicable that Wicklow County Council has a significant number of Affordable Houses, some of which have been completed for up to 3 years, available and unoccupied.

Hundreds of young couples are looking for Affordable Housing in Co. Wicklow. It is shameful that while people are languishing on the housing list Wicklow County Council has failed to complete sale transfers on Affordable Houses. In at least one case a house which has been completed for almost 3 years is now being seriously vandalised, its becoming a problem for adjoining property owners and Council tenants alike and will require, as a result of the neglect very serious further expenditure”, Minister Roche said.

The Minister has written in the strongest possible terms to the County Manager requesting an explanation as to why properties are lying idle when they could be providing people who are on the housing list with top quality homes. The Minister is also examining the possibility of requesting the Local Government Auditor to carry out a full investigation as to the manner in which the Affordable Housing Scheme is being handled in Co. Wicklow. “It is simply not good enough that Wicklow County Council, in addition to being hopelessly behind in terms of the provision of social housing should now also be behind in its own Affordable Housing Programme. The taxpayers have provided the funding to build these new homes. It is reprehensible that they are not brought into use”, Minister Roche concluded

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