Council highlights housing challenge

FINGAL County Council has highlighted the challenge it faces in delivering a good supply of homes to cater for the county’s needs in the coming years.

Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Mags Murray, and chief executive of Fingal County Council, Paul Reid, joined Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Alan Kelly, at a half-day seminar recently in the Carnegie Court Hotel, Swords.

Speaking at the seminar, Mr Reid said:

“The Government has set out its commitment to aggressively tackle the social housing crisis with

?¬800 million in funding on a range of initiatives and we are working hard in Fingal to support that commitment.

“Fingal County Council’s revenue budget for 2015 plans for spending of

?¬43 million (up

?¬3 million on 2014) on Housing & Building. Our capital programme plans for spending of

?¬40.7 million over the next three years to buy and build new homes for those on our housing list.

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Mr Reid said there were real signs of economic recovery in Fingal.

“Planning applications are up by 25 per cent and the construction industry is re-emerging with 30 active residential building sites in Fingal today,

? he said.

“Home buyers need affordable, good quality homes and Fingal will provide almost 50 per cent of new homes in Dublin in the years ahead.

“That brings huge additional responsibility to make sure the proper infrastructure is delivered to support this housing delivery and Fingal County Council has an important role here too.

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