Gorey to receive highest amount of social housing units by the end of 2019

By the end of next year Gorey district will have received a total of 258 Social Housing Units, the highest amount in the county according to Niall McCabe’s housing presentation at last week’s Gorey Municipal District meeting.

Mr McCabe presented a county wide report on the direct and indirect provisions of new Social Housing Units for the years 2017 to 2019.

He said Gorey will have received 258 units by the end of 2019, Wexford 187, Enniscorthy 139 and New Ross will have 86 units.

In 2017, Gorey received 86 units, 68 in 2018 and will get 104 in 2019, giving the district a total of 258.

‘It is recognised that Gorey has a historical deficit of social housing units,’ said Mr McCabe. ‘The focus of the Housing Capital Section since 2017 has been to increase the number of units to meet both social housing demand and correct historical deficit.’

He added overall for the three years social housing on a percentage basis in the Gorey area is 38.5 per cent.

It was also reported by Mr McCabe that in 2019, construction will begin on 10 units in Creagh, eight in Gleann an Ghairdin and six in Glen Aoibhinn as part of the delivery for the 258 social housing units in Gorey.

Cllr Malcolm Byrne’s major criticism of the report was in relation to construction.

‘I don’t feel we are constructing enough houses to meet our needs,’ said Cllr Byrne. ‘We have a shortage of land and I would like to suggest we acquire more land to build units on it ourselves.’

Cllr Joe Sullivan said he suggested three potential sites before but felt like he was shut down by the Council when he approached them about it.

‘I welcome the numbers reported as it is a huge increase,’ added Cllr Pip Breen.

Chairman Cllr John Hegarty said he would like to thank the housing department in Wexford County Council as it is evident they are responding to the housing crisis. He added they do need to get into building but they need to try and get over the crisis first.