Invest in council houses ‘as a matter of urgency’ – Bree

MEMBERS of the Borough District of Sligo have called on the government to commit to a realistic investment programme in council housing as “a matter of urgency”.

Cllr Declan Bree had a motion before Monday’s meeting of the representatives as he remarked on what he described as the “ever intensifying housing crisis” where prices are “spiralling out of control”.

Cllr Bree, pictured right, went on to state that the investor fund buy-up of homes is proving to be the straw that broke the camel’s back as it marks a pivotal point in the waning tolerance people have for the housing crisis.

“In Sligo there are in excess of 1,000 households on the council’s housing waiting list in addition to many more households who are ineligible for local authority housing, who are paying high rents to private landlords and who cannot find affordable housing.” “The extent of anger and desire for action that is being expressed up and down the country is similar to the response to the water charges. If it weren’t for Covid there would be massive numbers on the streets calling for the resignation of the government and demanding justice and housing.”

“What does the future hold for the 1,000 households who remain on the Council’s Housing Waiting List? Not only is there no light at the end of the tunnel. There is no light at the beginning of the tunnel as there are practically no council houses under construction.” He continued by saying that the willingness to put “millions of Euro into private landlords’ pockets through the HAP and RAS schemes”, while providing funding to councils to provide affordable housing is “a different story” and is a shocking indictment of the current government and previous administration.

“A house is not just bricks and mortar, it is a human right, a home. Every other day we are confronted with cases of people on the housing list and there is little hope we can offer.”

The motion was supported by Cllr Gino O’Boyle who said the housing department of the council are “between a rock and a hard place” having to decide the few people who get available houses. Cllr O’Boyle asked: “There are thousands of vacant properties in Sligo. Why can’t we get apprentices in and fix them?”

He said: “We have an eyesore sitting beside the Glasshouse Hotel the last 15 years. Why isn’t there a compulsory purchase order on that? Money is being given to vulture funds and we are just going around in circles.”

Cllr Arthur Gibbons said that housing is a human right and every politician needs to “shout for houses to be built”, otherwise the country will face an “epidemic which will get out of hand”.

Mayor Cllr Rosaleen O’Grady said that work which has been achieved, such as Fr Flanagan Terrace and the new development on Knappagh Road, should also be recognised but agreed that “more needs to be done”.