There has been an 11% rise in the number of households waiting seven years or more for housing support in Clare.
The latest report from the Department of Housing shows they’re among almost two thousand households, who qualified for assistance in the county in 2017.
It comes as the government launches it’s latest initiative to tackle the housing crisis.
The latest Department of Housing figures show 1,952 Clare households qualified for housing support last year, a drop of 14 on the previous year.
But among those, 317 have been on the social housing waiting list for seven years or more – up from 284 in 2016, while, there’s also been increases across the board in those waiting between 1 and 7 years.
2017 also a spike in the number of employed people who have been granted assistance, as well as those who are living with parents, friends or relatives.
The number of people living in institutions, emergency accommodation or hostels has more than doubled.
The figures have been released ahead of today’s announcement by the Housing Minister of a new Mortgage Scheme, which will give people who’ve been refused by the banks access to low interest rate mortgages from local authorities.
Minister Eoghan Murphy has also unveiled plans to build affordable homes on state land and an affordable rental scheme, but all of the measures depend on housing supply and Minister Murphy says more work is needed.
Karl Deeter from the Irish Mortgage Brokers says it’s changed the rules when it comes to people struggling to get a mortgage.
But Labour’s Housing Spokesperson Jan O’Sullivan says it’s putting the cart before the horse.
