Homeless charity supports modular housing plan; They are nothing like old prefabs - Alan Kelly

The homeless charity Peter McVerry Trust has called for emergency powers for local authorities to get modular housing in place by next summer.

The charity has thrown its weight behind the proposals which are currently before Dublin councillors to tackle the housing crisis.

The Dublin regional homeless executive wants to build 200 of the units to accommodate some of the 600 families in hotels and emergency accommodation around the city.

Environment Minister Alan Kelly told Clare FM that he supports the plans, and says the homes are not prefabs.

RoanKabin, an Irish-based manufacturer and supplier of modular building solutions, presenting its housing unit at the Modular Housing Demonstration Project at a site on the East Wall Road today. Pic: Colm Mahady / Fennell Photography.

He said: "You know for anyone to imagine the old prefabs that were in schools years ago in all of this, they are nothing like that. They are a completely different type of proposition.

"The benefit of them is that they can be turned around quickly, and they are not a cheap option either, these things are not inexpensive."

Minister Kelly said the units could cost up to €100,000 each, but could offer housing relief for decades.

He said: "Dublin City Council are doing an analysis for me, it will be ready next week, and based on their analysis we will make a decision as regards whether we are going to move along here.

"But obviously we are only going to put people in here for a certain period of time, we want more permanent solutions.

"But the life span of some of these units is 60, 70 years, guaranteed."

City councillors in Dublin are being presented with plans to build up to 200 homes.

Last month, 1,275 children from 607 families were living in emergency accommodation in Dublin.

While the Government has committed to building more social housing, that takes years, and emergency accommodation is costing millions.