The Chair of Clare County Council’s Housing Committee says he does not have confidence in Minister Darragh O Brien to sort out the housing crisis.
It comes as local representatives here are calling for the maximum income threshold in this county for those applying for social housing to be increased.
Clare FM’s Josh Prenderville reports.
Concerns about the future of the housing market have been abound in recent weeks, with a view expressed by some local auctioneers in Clare that a better balance needs to be struck on the supply of social housing, private housing and international investment.
It comes as the government comes under increasing pressure to ramp up supply in all forms, with Cabinet Ministers meeting today to discuss ways to prevent investment funds from bulk buying in new housing estates.
Housing Minister Darragh O Brien and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe have been working on changes to planning and tax laws.
Speaking on his way into Cabinet, Taoiseach Micheál Martin says he’s determined to sort housing out.
However, the Chair of Clare County Council’s Housing Committee doesn’t have confidence in the current administration to solve the crisis.
Shannon Independent Councillor Gerry Flynn and other members of the Council Committee that deals with Housing have extended an invitation to Minister O Brien to address the local authority since he came to office, but he said today that this has not been responded to.
There was cross-party support at the monthly meeting of Councillors yesterday to increase the maximum income thresholds for being able to access social housing in Clare – it currently stands at €25,000 with small percentages added for dependents and other adults in each household.
This could mean that more people would join the social housing waiting list here.
However, Councillor Flynn says action is needed as some people who are working are being removed from Council lists having been on them for a long period of time.
The maximum income limit in neighbouring counties such as Limerick is higher, at €30,000.
Kilkee Fianna Fail councillor Cillian Murphy brought the proposal to Council and wants income bands to be divided by electoral area rather than whole counties, as there are significant fluctuations in the rental market even within Co. Clare.
He’s now calling on the Housing Minister to conduct a ‘root and branch’ review of current thresholds.
