Repairs budget is ‘constrained’

THE Council is giving a “raw deal” to tenants because they’re spending the lowest amount in the country on Council housing maintenance.

That’s according to Sinn Féin Councillor Chris MacManus who noted with disappointment a ¤13,000 drop in maintenance for 2019, from ¤174,000 in 2018.

“Last month I highlighted a report which said this Local Authority spent the lowest amount (¤400) per house, the lowest in the state for housing maintenance,” he said.

“We’re giving a raw deal to our tenants. They pay rent week in week out and they receive remedial housing maintenance,” he said.

Director of Services for Housing Bartley Gavin said their staffing resources were “constrained” for housing maintenance.

“We’re trying to balance the books,” he replied. The Housing section dealt with over 1,000 repair requests in 2018 to date.