Shock that only 8 out of 15 homes wanted in Ardee

MID LOUTH councillor Jim Tenanty admits he was ‘shocked’ to learn that only eight of 15 homes available were allocated in the new Castleguard estate in Ardee.

Those given homes qualified under the council housing process, with the other seven homes given to people ‘down the list’.

Cllr Tenanty told last week’s area meeting that they were constantly contacted about housing, but there seemed to be ‘ no-one interested’ in the new scheme.

‘Is there something we should know?,’ he asked, stating that it was shocking that the full allocation of houses was not taken up, given that there’s 375 people on the waiting list.

‘Maybe we have to see where the demand is,’ he added.

Cllr Pearse McGeough said it ‘ seems strange’ that given there’s a huge number on the housing list that they have houses that were not taken up.

Cllr Minogue felt that Minister Eoin Murphy’s efforts to sort out the housing crisis was getting traction in mid Louth thanks to the hard work of the housing section of the council.

She outlined the Castleguard project as well as Dunleer and Louth Village developments.

‘We are lucky to have these houses coming on board’, she remarked.

But she again warned about the lack of amenities in the area to meet the growing population.

‘We have one park and one all weather pitch in Ardee and we have to be concerned about the social impact and the facilities we have. We need an all-weather athletics track and schools should be told about future housing plans so they can plan.’

Cllr Tom Cunningham said more houses needed to be built as there were too many on the waiting lists.

Meanwhile Fingal County Council had dismissed reports that they were buying houses in the new 143 unit Bridgegate development on the Drogheda Road in Ardee.

‘Fingal County Council is not buying houses in Bridgegate, Ardee, or anywhere else in Co Louth. Our Housing Department only purchase housing units within Fingal,’ a spokesperson stated.

Cllr Dolores Minogue confirmed that she had also learned of the reports and ‘Fingal’s comments puts closure on it.’