A Minister at the Department of Housing is reassuring people in Clare who are struggling to find accommodation that there is hope.
Peter Burke is visiting Ennis today for a number of engagements, with his Department having asked the local authority to ramp up social housing supply here in the next number of years.
Those attempting to get on the housing ladder, those trying to get access to social housing and people renting a home have all reported significant concerns with Clare’s housing market in recent months.
Marian Hehir has been left homeless after the home she was renting in Miltown Malbay was damaged by flooding during Storm Barra.
She spent a night in her car with her son, as she had diffculty getting through to her landlord who lives in America and when contact was finally made, she was told it would take time for the extensive damage to the property to be fixed.
Single mother Simone McGreene from Kilrush has been on the social housing list for nearly three years and has had to stay in overcrowded accomodation with her son and her own mother.
While more than 800 new social homes are earmarked in Clare between 2022 and 2026, around 1,300 households remain on Council waiting lists here.
Simone says despite numerous attempts of finding a home of her own through nuerous avenues, she just can’t find one.
A Minister of State at the Department of Housing says his Department has asked Clare County Council to increase its housing output by 130 percent over the next seven years.
Peter Burke is visiting Ennis today and is set to attempt to address a number of issues in meetings with the local authority.
Minister Burke is to hold conversations with stakeholders on the Ennis 2040 plan and the Shannon Masterplan.
107 families have been housed in social homes so far this year and the Fine Gael Junior Minister says the Department has asked the Council to increase its housing output substantially by 2028.
Minister Burke says with huge population growth expected in all of Clare’s major towns, the Government is working to ensure sustainable housing is available for those seeking it.
