€440,000 in funding to benefit Dublin West social housing – Keating

Fine Gael Dublin Mid-West TD, Derek Keating, has welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Housing and Planning, Jan O’Sullivan TD, that 35 vacant homes in the Dublin South County Council area, which covers Dublin Mid-West, are to be brought back into use within twelve months.

“A total of €440,000 is to be spent to upgrading 35 vacant properties. On average €12,571 will be spent on each. These houses, which up until now have been boarded up and unused, will be refurbished and improved, making them into much needed family homes.

“A shortage of social housing is a real problem in the Dublin Mid-West area with hundreds of people who are in real need on waiting lists. It is really important that we make sure all local authority units are fit for purpose and it makes sense that local authority homes that have been left vacant are brought into use.

“Four hundred and forty thousand euro is a very significant figure and it will go a long way in getting families into new homes as soon as possible. In addition, this investment will help to sustain and create construction jobs locally.

“Boarded up houses, as well as being a complete waste of resources, are unsightly and often a target for anti-social behaviour. I am very pleased that this money will make these homes available and I believe it is particularly positive that this will happen within twelve months.

“Providing social housing is a priority for the Government and the funding announced today is part of a campaign which will see €200 million invested over the next 18 month. Specifically related to bringing vacant social housing back into use, in April of this year, €15 million was allocated to kickstart the refurbishment and now a further €15 million has been allocated.”