Better social housing ‘will end negative attitudes’

PROPERLY planned social housing will bring life to local communities and help banish their image of problems with vandalism, drugs and alcohol, a housing group said yesterday.

The Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) is pressing for a new approach that will avoid notorious failures such as Ballymun in Dublin and the Rahoon flats in Galway.

“People worry about trouble and falling housing prices. But instead of being a negative thing, well-planned social housing can keep post offices open and keep another teacher in the local school,” said ICSH spokeswoman Karen Murphy.