Galway allocated €58 million to tackle social housing crisis

The housing waiting lists in Galway City and County finally look set to be slashed, with a commitment to buy, build and lease more than 1,100 new social houses by 2017.

As well as making significant inroads on Galway’s housing crisis, it will also see the creation of hundreds of jobs during the construction phase.

And rural towns and villages around the country could be set for a further boost if a series of Oireachtas Committee recommendations are introduced – including commercial rates reductions and free parking periods.

The housing funding of €58.4 million earmarked for both local authority areas – almost equally divided between the two, with €30 million for the county – will see the county’s waiting list of 3,200 households cut by around 600 units.

In the city, the allocation will see around 520 of the 4,200 on the list removed.

It’s understood that both local authorities were made aware last summer that there would be a significant allocation made, with the Council Chief Executives alerted to identify land suitable for development, as well as units which could be bought and leased on a long-term basis.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.