Louth councillor criticises lack of Housing for All targets in Council report

Louth's Councillor Joanna Byrne has expressed her dissatisfaction that Louth County Council has not provided its target for affordable homes in Louth in the Chief Executive’s Manager’s Report, and has said if local media reports of 45 being the target is true, then it "is an abysmal number."

Cllr Byrne raised the matter at the Louth County Council May meeting, and told the Dundalk Democrat following the meeting, that she has been requesting the set targets for the delivery of affordable homes in Louth since the implementation of the Government’s "Housing For All" strategy last September.

The Sinn Féin councillor told the Dundalk Democrat that “the Housing For All strategy promises low cost affordable homes across the State and I have been seeking the specific targets for County Louth. To date that information has not been furnished to me even though I have requested that it be included in the monthly Manager’s Report."

She continued, “Louth County Council are unable to give me a specific figure but there were reports in local media recently quoting a figure of 45 houses per year which is an abysmal number when you consider the number of those caught in the net between not being eligible to purchase a home and yet are just above the threshold for social housing supports which were set and never changed from 2009 and are no longer realistic."

Cllr Byrne suggested that if this figure of 45 affordable homes a year was indeed correct then it would be unacceptable to every councillor in the chamber and much more would need to be done.

Cllr Byrne was informed at the May meeting by Director of Services, Mr Paddy Donnelly, that talks were still on-going between Louth County Council and the Department of Housing regarding targets for delivery. He added however, that even the figure of 45 mentioned in the media may present a challenge to implement. The Council hope to have confirmed targets for next month’s meeting.