Single people 'discriminated against' in affordable housing applications - O'Leary

With applications to the Affordable Housing Scheme located at Rathealy Close on the Pike Road in Fermoy set to close on Tuesday, April 9, 'disappointment' has been noted among some applicants.

The scheme has been lauded as the first of its kind in the Fermoy area in over 20 years and consists of 20 three-bedroom houses. Houses are available from €255,000 which, according to Cork County Council, represents a reduction of approximately 23% from market value.

Acknowleding that the issues faced by applicants are ‘an issue for the department’, Cllr William O’Leary welcomed the scheme, however noted disappointment among ‘single young people’.

“What I’m getting at the moment, and it is an issue for the department, is disappointment amongst a lot of single young people who thought they might be eligible for the scheme. Of course they can still apply but they’re being told, in terms of priority, they’re not up there,” Cllr O’Leary said.

The Rathcormac councillor recognised that Cork County Council are following departmental guidelines, but alleged that these people are being ‘discriminated against’ .

PRIORITIES?

With the completion of three affordable housing schemes, senior executive officer at Cork County Council, Seamus De Faoite, noted that in their experience, they are receiving applications from single people who are more interested in three-bedroom properties.

“We are receiving applications, they’re from single people, we are seeing that they are more interested in the three bed properties. It goes back to that question, should a single person have a different or lower priority than a couple for that property?

“It’s something that we do need to be aware of. In the scheme in Cobh for instance, while there was specific 2 bed properties there, people are choosing not to actually buy those two bed properties, they are still choosing the 3 bed properties,” Mr De Faoite said.

ALLOCATIONS - 'THINGS WILL MOVE FAST'

Responding to a query on the process of allocation from Cllr Kay Dawson, Mr De Faoite confirmed that it is ‘first come first served’, but stated however, that 30% of the properties within the development are retained for people living in the Fermoy MD area or within 10km of it.

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Northern Divisional Committee, Mr De Faoite said that the processing of applicants would begin this week and that ‘things will move fast’.

“The biggest thing we have seen to date is that people are applying and the (mortgage) 'approval in principal' is not in place for the mortgage. If they don’t have that, that will hold things up. It is important that they have their approval in place,” he said.