Limerick Councillors told it's a 75-week process just to 'get planning for a few houses'

“IS it any wonder we have a housing crisis?” declared Fine Gael’s Cllr Liam Galvin when told that it takes 75 weeks for a proposal on social housing to make its way through the four stages set out by the Department of Housing,

He was asking about what progress had been made on a four or possibly five house scheme of houses in Mountcollins, a proposal which he pointed out had originally been ruled by the Department because they had the wrong statistics.

The council had begun the first stage in developing the scheme in November last year, he was told, but it could be this autumn or winter before Part 8 planning permission would be submitted and the third quarter of next year before building could start.

“It could be three years before those houses are ready to be occupied,” Cllr Galvin noted with frustration. Yet, he pointed out, a couple building their own house could get planning within three months. “Trying to explain that to the public is embarrassing,” he said. There should be no reason it would take 75 weeks where the council owns the land, he argued.

His party colleague Cllr Tom Ruddle was also stunned at the 75-week timeframe, pointing out that building would add another year and a half to any scheme.

“There has to be something done to streamline it and maybe take away some of the layers,” he said.

Later, Cllr Galvin, in a motion, called for the council to put in place Part 8 housing applications for the villages within the Newcastle West Municipal District, saying there was a need to “get the villages up and running again.”

“We get our Part 8s in order and let them provide the funding. Let them answer why it is taking 75 weeks,” he said. And he argued that Irish Water needed to be brought on board to make this possible.

Seconding the motion, Cllr John Sheahan said: “Anytime we address this issue with our Oireachtas representatives, they are turning around and being scathing towards councils for not having projects ready to roll. This theme is getting a bit tedious “

“We need to get projects up and running as fast as we can here. They certainly won’t be able to say it is the council’s fault. We are doing the heavy lifting. All they are doing is moving the chairs on the Titanic,” he declared.

“Once we get to Part 8, it moves very quickly,” said Caroline Curley, who is now head of the Housing Directorate. Several applications are involved, not just one, she pointed out and they come from other local authorities as well. “It does take time because it is taxpayers’ money,” she said.

Her colleague, Sarah Newell, said that plans for developments in Broadford, Glin, and in Sycamore Avenue, Newcastle West were at stage 1 while the schemes in Ardagh and Mountcollins were at stage 2. Other schemes for Athea, Carrigkerry and Templeglantine had also been identified.