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Mid West Simon Welcomes Proposal to Tackle Housing Crisis

Mid West Simon says it would cautiously welcome proposals to turn vacant Clare properties into social housing. 

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Clare County Councillors have backed calls for a new incentive scheme to tackle the county's housing list and to re-populate unoccupied homes here.

The 2011 census found County Clare has nearly 12,000 vacant homes. 

The vacancy rate in Liscannor, Kilkee, Lahinch, Mountshannon, BUnratty and Ballyvaughan were all at least 50% – while county wide the rate stands at 21 percent – that's well above the national average of 14 per cent. 

A recent breakdown of the figures by Clare County Councill staff shows of the these almost 7,000 are properties that are not in use while approximately 4,000 are recording as Holiday Homes. 

As of the start of October just over 3,000 people are on the authorities housing list and Fine Gael Cllr Gabriel Keating says unoccupied buildings could be used as a means of tackling the growing list. 

He says it could be another way of providing regeneration in rural areas.

Manager of Mid West Simon Jackie Bonfield says the idea is admirable and  her organisation would support it. 

However she says there may be some issues in bringing it to fruition.

The proposal will now be sent to the Minister for Housing Paudie Coffey. 

 

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