Social housing leasing plan opposed

A trade union has expressed serious concerns about a local authority’s plans to lease some of the vacant social houses it can’t afford to repair to voluntary housing agencies who could do the work.

The Operative Plasterers’ and Allied Trades Society of Ireland described the move being considered by Cork City Council last night as “another dilution of local government”.

OPATSI spokesman Barry Murphy urged the council to seek a loan from central government, and use the cash to hire local construction workers to do the repair work.