Housing fund for Louth “inadequate and derisory”, insists Adams

Gerry Adams

Local TD Gerry Adams has described the announcement by the Minister for the Environment, Alan Kelly of funding for new build housing units in Louth as “inadequate and derisory”.

€13.7m worth of funding was approved for the county today. This will deliver 75 units in total with 20 units in Boice Court in Drogheda, 35 units in Cox’s Demesne in Dundalk and 20 units in Father Finn Park in Louth Village.

The new homes are expected to be in place by 2017 and are part of a €312m investment across the country. It will be part of an overall €57m fund allocated to Louth for housing provision until 2017.

However, Sinn Féin president Adams said it was far from sufficient.

“The announcement by the Minister of funding for local authorities for social housing is part of a planned government funding strategy that has already been announced twice.

“The funding allocated to Louth is significantly short of what is required and will not dent the housing waiting list in the constituency.

“Louth County Council has not yet been told by the Department how much of this current tranche of money it will receive but we already know that it will be part of the overall €57 million to be allocated to Louth for housing provision until 2017.

“Presently there are 4636 households on the Louth housing waiting list. The overall funding package allocated for new house build will, according to government figures, provide at most for 288 new units.

“It is clear from today’s announcement and the government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020 announced last year and of the Social Housing Targets for local authorities announced a month ago that at least two thirds and more of social housing is to be provided by the private sector.

“The Minister’s reliance on the private sector is at odds with his position only six months ago when he warned that the privatisation of social housing “was wrong and it was more than wrong, it was simply unacceptable and we are going to change that.”

“Today the Minister has reinforced again a strategy that is entirely reliant on the private sector for the majority of social housing provision at a time when landlords prefer the open market to social housing tenants. The Minister’s approach to the provision of social housing is deeply flawed.”

1,100 new homes needed in Dundalk

Almost 1,100 new homes are required in Dundalk, according to a new report from the Department of the Environment.

Figures show that there is land in the area zoned for more than 23,000 units with the extra capacity needed to cater for the expanding population in the area and to deal with the backlog for social housing.

A further 1,300 units are also required in Drogheda.

Meanwhile, separate figures from Dundalk-based Link2Plans have revealed that planning applications in Louth fell by 1% last year. The number of projects commenced was up by 6% though.

Between 30-40 people sleeping rough in Louth regularly, insists Adams

Gerry Adams

Local TD Gerry Adams has raised the issue of homelessness in the Louth in the Dáil today, claiming that between 30-40 people are sleeping rough throughout the county on a regular basis.

Speaking in Leinster House following the death of homeless man Jonathan Corrie in Dublin, the Sinn Féin leader said: “The number of people sleeping rough in Dublin surged by 20% this year. This Christmas, 168 people are expected to sleep on the streets, which is three times the figure recorded when records began in 2007.

“Some 30 people are sleeping rough in my constituency and 800 children across the State are housed in temporary emergency accommodation.”

Following the debate Deputy Adams said: “The fact that 30-40 people are regularly sleeping rough across Louth is of great concern to me.

“I now intend to contact the relevant agencies in Louth to seek a resolution to this crisis.

“This, coupled with ever growing waiting lists for social housing, present the real picture of the housing crisis across this state. Sinn Féin has called on the Government to immediately begin a major house building scheme to alleviate pressure on families in housing distress.”

Commercial rates set to remain unchanged in 2015

Cllr Edel Corrigan was not happy with the Budget put forward for Louth County Council

Commercial rates for businesses in Co Louth are set to remain unchanged next year.

The decision not to alter the current rates was made at yesterday’s Budget meeting of the council at County Hall.

From next year, Louth County Council has 10 years to bring rates throughout the county in line with those in the towns following the abolition of the town and borough councils earlier this year. However, County Manager Joan Martin told the meeting that she hoped to do this over a period of five years instead.

An extra €78,000 was also allocated for housing adaptation grants for the elderly in the county. The extra funds came about after councillors agreed to transfer the money from funding that had been earmarked for the chairperson’s allowances for Louth County Council, the Municipal Districts of Dundalk, Ardee and Drogheda and the local authority’s Special Policy Committees. The motion, put forward by Sinn Féin, also applies to the vice chairperson’s allowances.

Sinn Féin opted to vote against the Budget, however, with Cllr Edel Corrigan insisting the people of Louth could not take further austerity.

She said: “Time and time again Louth County Council have been told to provide more for less, by this Fine Gael / Labour government. We didn’t seek election to sit idle and let the people of our communities suffer again. We in Sinn Féin cannot and will not support a budget that will have a very real and negative impact on the day to day lives of people in this county.

“The adoption of this budget will see no improvement to housing services, road services, or further investment in projects and services that support and build communities, while people and their families are forced to pay more. The people who will suffer at the adoption of this budget are the same people who were passed over by the Celtic Tiger.

“Louth is the most deprived border region in all of Ireland, and, this is not going to change unless we make a stand as elected representatives. We must stand up for the people and communities who elected us, and the onus is on us to look out for their best interests.  Louth has had enough, and we deserve more.”

“Dundalk is the most deprived area in the border region and Louth Local authorities need to make provisions so we are not solely relying on others to provide for cross border development. For that reason, the one thing that I do welcome in the budget report are the plans for the cross border and European Relations Unit in the local authority.

“Now is the time to set out aims, objectives and targets in this local authority as to how we can develop and improve this cross border region to see real economic and social changes to better the quality of life for those in the area who have been affected by partition on this island.”

 

Kirk calls for government action to help boost local construction sector

Seamus Kirk TD

Local Fianna Fáil TD Séamus Kirk says the Government must urgently put in place a number of measures to kick-start housing construction in County Louth to provide for increased housing demand in the county.

Deputy Kirk was responding to a report by the ESRI which states that 180,000 housing units need to be constructed over the next decade throughout the country.

He commented: “Louth, as a commuter county, needs to construct almost 1,000 houses per annum over the next decade to satisfy demand. This is not happening at the moment and unless immediate action is taken by the Government, there will be a severe shortage of housing across Louth.

“The Government needs to fast track a new home building programme that is focused on the commuter belt. The new building programme must ensure there is an allocation for local authority housing and affordable housing as well as private houses. There are almost 100,000 people on social housing waiting lists throughout the country and this list is growing.

“The ESRI report also reveals that as recently as 2011 there were 230,000 vacant housing units in the country. If these properties were put back into the rental, social housing, affordable housing and the private housing markets then the shortages would be addressed.

“There has been an alarming failure by the Government to accelerate the transfer of NAMA housing units, in fact only 10% of homes earmarked by NAMA for social housing have actually been transferred to local authorities.  The Government is failing people looking to get on the property ladder by failing to invest in transferring NAMA units for housing.

“Louth County Council should also have a special taskforce entrusted with accelerating the transfer of NAMA units for social housing. The Government should also invest money in tenant purchase schemes, which would make it easier for local authorities and voluntary housing associations to purchase housing stock.

“We are heading for a housing crisis in Louth and across the country, the Government cannot afford to sit on its hands anymore.”

New report highlights need for more housing in Dundalk and Drogheda

A new report from the Housing Agency has highlighted a striking need for more housing in Co Louth.

The report, which projects that a minimum of 80,000 residential units are required in urban areas throughout the country to support the increasing population over the next five years, found that almost 2,500 new homes were needed between Dundalk and Drogheda.

It said 1,284 new units were needed in Drogheda and 1,088 units were required in Dundalk to meet demand between now and 2018.

Morgan hits out at Sinn Féin’s alleged pursuit of headlines rather than action

Cllr Oliver Morgan

Local councillor Oliver Morgan has hit out at Sinn Féin, accusing them of seeking headlines regarding local problems rather than looking for solutions to fix them.

The independent candidate, who will be seeking re-election at next month’s local elections, posted about the matter on his Facebook page in recent days.

His comments come following recently prominent headlines in the local media. Earlier this week problems at Slieve Roe Crescent in Muirhevnamor were highlighted by Sinn Féin’s Cllr Kevin Meenan on the front page of The Dundalk Democrat. Another Sinn Féin councillor, Jennifer Green, also made the front page of The Argus last month discussing the cost of the upgrade works at the Market Square and Stapleton Place.

Cllr Morgan says that as the biggest party on Dundalk Town Council, Sinn Féin have the power to make change happen but insists that they “don’t really want a solution but seem to be much more interested” in complaining and getting headlines.

In his statement, the Meadow Grove man said: “It is growing tiresome to have to listen to the carping and complaining of Sinn Féin council members in the run up to the local elections.

“Sinn Féin is the biggest party on Dundalk Town Council and has a responsibility to the electorate to see that our infrastructure is managed competently and prudently. The debacles of mismanagement which the re-development of our Market Square and our cycle lane design and implementation are a couple of examples which are repeated yet again in the grotesque mismanagement of our housing provision of which the situation at Slieve Roe Crescent, Dundalk is a particularly regrettable example.

The front of this week’s Dundalk Democrat featuring Sinn Féin’s Kevin Meenan talking about the situation at Slieve Roe Crescent

“My criticism of Sinn Féin is that, while its members who are sitting councillors on both our local authorities are merely complaining about things, they should and could be changing things!

“Councillors are elected by the people of Dundalk to dictate that the management does its job competently and prudently; to ensure that we get value for the multiple taxes which are extracted from us. We councillors have the power to do this job under the provisions of section 140 of the Local Government Act.

“However Sinn Féin seems to be unwilling or afraid to use this power to dictate that the management perform properly and Cllr Green used Sinn Féin’s year in the chair to “cosy up” to the management and act as its lacky.

“Instead of robustly supporting me when I raised the issue of the grotesque mismanagement of the Slieve Roe Cresent situation, Sinn Féin sang dumb and offered my proposal no support whatsoever.

“Dundalk Town Council possesses the statutory enforcement powers to sort the Slieve Roe Crescent mismanagement situation in six months but our management can’t be bothered and the members of Sinn Féin dont appear to really want a solution but seem to be much more interested in having something to complain about, engage in hand-wringing about and get the front page and a two page spread in the Dundalk Democrat or the front page of The Argus to enhance its electoral position.

“I would sincerely hope that Sinn Féin does not succeed in fooling all of the people all of the time,” he said.

Sinn Féin puts forward its largest ever team for local elections

The Louth Sinn Féin team pictured at last night’s local election campaign launch in The Fairways Hotel. Back row from left: JJ Quigley, Cllr Pearse McGeough, Cllr Tomás Sharkey, Cllr Kevin Meenan, Tom Cunningham, Cllr Jim Loughran, Alan Cassidy, Kenneth Flood. Front row from left: Matt Carthy (EU candidate), Cllr Jennifer Green, Cllr Imelda Munster, Louth TD and party president Deputy Gerry Adams and Cllr Edel Corrigan

Sinn Féin is putting forward its largest ever team of local government candidates in Louth for this May’s elections.

The party launched its campaign at an event in The Fairways Hotel in Dundalk last night with president and local TD Gerry Adams addressing a packed meeting of candidates and party activists.

The event, which was attended by Sinn Féin’s EU candidate Matt Carthy, encouraged people to get behind the party’s 11 candidates who will stand for election on May 23rd.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Adams said the large number of candidates being put forward by Sinn Féin in Louth was a statement of intent as to the direction the party wanted to go in.

“Sinn Féin is going into to the Local and European elections in May as a party on the rise, not just in Louth but throughout this state. Since the 2011 General election Sinn Féin TDs and Senators have been holding the Fine Gael/Labour Government to account,” he said.

“They have been working hard to challenge and to change the toxic political culture which has led to the series of political scandals we have witnessed recently and to the bad political decisions which has seen ordinary citizens penalised while those at the top of society have been untouched by the consequences of the economic crisis.

“Sinn Féin is the only all-Ireland party. We will be fighting local government and European elections in the north on May 22^nd and local government and European elections in this state the following day.

“In the 2011 General Election, the best so far for Sinn Féin in this state, the party topped the poll in Louth with 15,072 votes.

“We have a dynamic republican team contesting the local elections in this county with Jim Loughran, Edel Corrigan and JJ Quigley in Dundalk-Carlingford, Jennifer Green, Kevin Meenan and Tomás Sharkey in Dundalk South, Pearse McGeough and Tom Cunningham in Mid-Loutd and Imelda Munster, Alan Cassidy and Kenneth Flood in Drogheda.”

Deputy Adams said that health and justice issues were two of the biggest problems facing the county at present.

“As we face into these elections, there are major issues facing people in Louth. We are dealing with an unacceptable depletion of services at the Louth Hospital. The current crisis at Our Lady of Lourdes in Drogheda is due is its under-resourcing resulting in an inability to cope with the volume of patients they are dealing with.

“Ambulance cover in Louth is totally inadequate and has led directly to fatalities.

“Garda cover throughout the county has been reduced. The Department of Justice is not resourcing or developing the partnerships between the Gardaí and the communities on the ground in the way that it should.

“Louth is also severely disadvantaged as a result of being a border county. There has been no government investment in jobs or capital spend in infrastructure. The failure so far to proceed with the Narrow Water Bridge project has been a huge blow. Sinn Féin will not let this issue fall by the wayside.

“The Narrow Water Bridge project is needed for Louth, for South Down and it is needed as part of our national infrastructure.

“We have seen no innovation or imaginative proposals from the Fine Gael/Labour government to deal with the specific issues faced by border counties.

“Sinn Féin has been actively pursuing the cross-border sharing of local services, north/south and the establishment of specific EU Units as a means of drawing down investment from Europe in a more strategic way.

“There is a housing crisis in Louth with 4,800 people on the waiting list in this county.

“Thousands of families throughout this county are suffering as a result of planning irregularities and unfinished estates, built with no corresponding amenities.

“Citizens in Louth deserve better representation. They need real republican representation and increasingly they are looking to Sinn Féin to provide that,” he said.

The full list of Sinn Féin candidates going forward for election is:

• Dundalk-Carlingford: Cllr Jim Loughran, Cllr Edel Corrigan, JJ Quigley
• Dundalk South: Cllr Jennifer Green, Cllr Kevin Meenan, Cllr Tomás Sharkey
• Mid-Louth: Cllr Pearse McGeough, Tom Cunningham
• Drogheda: Cllr Imelda Munster, Alan Cassidy, Kenneth Flood

Louth County Council may be liable for loan repayments of €75m on unused land

Cllr Tomás Sharkey

Louth County Council could have to pay a total of €75 million over the next 25 years to repay a loan for lands bought during that had been earmarked for social housing.

The repayments, which amount to €3m per annum for the next 25 years, were revealed by Sinn Féin councillor Tomás Sharkey following this morning’s monthly meeting of the local authority.

The land was bought to build social housing units but a government decision means that there will be no new units built anymore, with councils instead using funds to acquire suitable homes that are on the market in their respective localities.

Cllr Sharkey said the current situation was not good enough though, saying: “Austerity will last for a whole generation in Louth.”

Unemployment again highlighted as a major issue in the area

Unemployment is now a huge problem in Dundalk, with large areas of the town such as Carroll Village major unemployment black spots

A new report from the National Economic and Social Council has highlighted Louth as one of five counties where unemployment and the demand for local authority housing has “substantially increased.”

While the report said that only parts of the county were affected, the news comes just a week after Dundalk came bottom of a gateway town survey, which revealed that the town had unemployment levels of almost 25%.

Certainly something to be concerned about.