1,200 on county’s housing list

OVER 1,200 applicants are currently on the housing list in North Tipperary.

But renewed efforts are under way to reduce the numbers seeking local authority housing, including acquiring potential small development sites.

The total includes applicants on the North Tipperary County Council list, along with those seeking accommodation from Nenagh, Thurles and Templemore town councils.

At present, the county council has 579 applicants which also encompasses the Roscrea area.

Meanwhile, Nenagh Town Council’s waiting list stands at 238, while there are 359 applicants in Thurles and 81 in Templemore.

The county council’s senior executive officer, Sharon Kennedy, indicated the local authority was reviewing the possibility of acquiring small parcels of land in rural areas in a bid to address some of the waiting list, despite the fact Government policy is skewed in favour of leasing.

She explained the rental accommodation scheme (RAS) had also proven successful, with over 300 transfers since the scheme commenced in North Tipperary in 2006.

Ms Kennedy said long-term leasing had not proven very successful, with property owners reluctant to enter into lease agreements of 10-20 years due to uncertainty in the housing market and in the economy.

Last year the council also purchased or constructed 19 houses, exceeding its allocation in the area.

However, the council did receive a €2.3 million allocation towards an affordable housing development in Roscrea.