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Areas of choice for Galway social housing reduced by 40
Galway Bay fm newsroom – Galway County Council has decided to revise its areas of choice for social housing applicants.
Up to now, applicants seeking a home could apply for a residence in 54 areas in the county.
However, at a meeting of the council in Mountbellew last evening, councillors decided to reduce the areas from 54 to 14.
Under 2011 national legislation, a household applying for a home or to transfer from other forms of social housing support, can specify areas of choice in the application.
The council previously provided the option of selecting from a total of 56 areas- 54 in the county and two in the city.
However, following a report at the county council meeting last evening, councillors voted to reduce the number of county areas from 54 to 14.
Councillor Karey McHugh voiced her concern at the meeting that Tuam would be included in the same area as Kilconly, Corofin and Williamstown.
She told the meeting that the requirements of Tuam social housing applicants are usually specific to an urban environment.
Housing Director of Services Michael Owens said that if an applicant refuses a dwelling outside the town of Tuam, that would be taken into consideration when a second offer is made in the future and a similar area would not be offered again.
While the Aran Islands is a stand alone area of choice, Inishbofin is not offered as an area of choice for social housing applications.
Inishbofin now comes under the area which includes, Clifden, Leenane, Letterfrack, Roundstone.
Councillor Ivan Canning remarked that the council should concentrate on acquiring vacant homes and renovating them for social housing, rather than on new builds.
Michael Owens acknowledged the long waiting time for some applicants on the Social Housing Waiting List.
He said that anyone on the list for more than 8 years will have the opportunity to meet with a Housing Liasion Officer on a one-to-one basis, in the short term, to review their application.
He added anyone who refuses a choice-based offer can’t reapply for 12 months and that is a restriction the council cannot change.
The death has occurred of the former Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora Martin Drennan, six years after he announced his retirement on health grounds. He was aged 78.
The Galway Diocesan Office confirmed the death this (Saturday) afternoon of the Bishop and Apostolic Administrator Emeritus, who oversaw the Diocese for eleven years.
Born on January 2, 1944 in Piltown, County Kilkenny, he studied for the priesthood at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, from where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1968. His brother Michael is also a priest.
Following his ordination, he continued his studies in Rome where he was awarded a Licentiate in both sacred theology and sacred scripture. He returned to Rome in 1980 to become spiritual director at the Pontifical Irish College for the next five years.
He became a lecturer in sacred scripture at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, where he continued to teach until his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin in 1997 with responsibility for East Wicklow and South Dublin.
Following the retirement of Bishop James McLoughlin, Bishop Drennan was appointed Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora and he was installed on July 3, 2005 in Galway Cathedral.
Outgoing Cllr Terry O’Flaherty (Ind) is on course to retain her City Council seat – and top the poll in City East.
With 33% of the boxes tallied, Cllr O’Flaherty is polling strongly, particularly in Renmore.
Michael John Crowe is ahead of his running mate Alan Cheevers for the Fianna Fáil vote, according to the early figures, although that could change when Doughiska and Roscam boxes are opened.
The Green Party’s Claire Hillery is on about 7%, with Fine Gael on 10% and Sinn Fein on 5%.
The opening of boxes for the local elections began at 9am this morning in Leisureland when the tallymen (and women) kicked into gear.
As regards the Galway County Council elections, the smaller areas are being opened first which means that the four-seater Connemara North boxes will be first in the pecking order.
It will be followed by Gort-Kinvara (5 seats), Connemara South (5 seats), Athenry-Oranmore (7 seats), Ballinasloe (6 seats), Loughrea (5 seats) and finally Tuam (7 seats).
The boxes in these areas will be opened and tallied in that particular order before being transferred to the Galway Lawn Tennis Club on Threadneedle Road where the counting will commence around mid-morning.
That is when the fun will really begin – although the tallies should give a good indication as to where most of the seats are destined.
As regards the city, the Galway City East boxes were opened first, followed by Galway City Central and finally Galway City West. These votes will be transferred to the Westside Centre by around 11am for counting.
There are 39 seats on Galway County Council to be filled with 18 on Galway City Council. The City Council count is expected to conclude on Saturday night but the County Council count – with seven electoral areas to be filled – could well go into Monday.
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