Mayo general election candidate calls for further housing supports

A Mayo general election candidate has called for further ‘urgently needed’ housing supports for families in the county.

Independent councillor Patsy O’Brien has proposed that the social housing threshold limit in Mayo be increased, the Croí Cónaithe Vacant Homes Grant to be paid in a series of phased payments, and for further support for pyrite victims.

Cllr O'Brien has also called for top up mortgages to be available on council loans for hard-pressed homeowners in pyrite-ridden homes in Mayo and for the measure to be fast-tracked along with a genuine 100 percent redress scheme.

Speaking about the measures he would like to see introduced, Cllr O’Brien said the social housing threshold limit of €33,000 for a household of two adults with two children in Mayo is ‘far too low’.

"There are many people who are working hard and earning marginally more than that limit in county Mayo who are struggling to afford a home, and they should be getting more support," he commented. 

He continued: "The Government needs to increase the threshold for social housing, there is a discrepancy between the east and the west."

Giving the example of ‘a person or couple on the national minimum wage’, Cllr O’Brien said ‘it’s bringing people into a situation where there is no parity’. 

"The threshold limit was increased, but housing prices have risen steadily since then, and it needs to be increased again,” he added.

Cllr O'Brien said housing prices are now ‘out of reach’ for many people, calling for the affordable housing scheme to be expanded across Mayo.

He highlighted the five homes contained within a 50-house development in Westport that are being designated as an affordable housing scheme, with another separate 13-unit development in Westport progressing.

Elsewhere, a site in Castlebar with planning permission for 75 houses is currently being assessed.

"There is a void in the scheme, what type of affordable housing scheme is it when it is only available in a couple of areas, there are very few of them in the county," he stated. 

"Housing is a huge issue, people here are struggling, and the Government is not meeting the targets nationally."

Under the Croí Cónaithe Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant up to €50,000 is available for homebuyers to refurbish a home they will live in with a further maximum top-up grant of up to €20,000 available if the property is derelict.

However, the grant is not processed until the work is completed, something Cllr O'Brien said ‘places a big burden’ on people.

“I would like to see the introduction of a phased payment system with four or five gradual payments to ease the pressure on recipients and offer them further support,” he added.

Furthermore, Cllr O’Brien said homeowners affected by pyrite deserve ‘a genuine 100 percent redress scheme’ as foundations are currently not covered with some homeowners being financially indebted by as much as €90,000 in Westport and North Mayo.

“These homeowners have been consistently failed. They are dealing with huge stress, and they deserve a comprehensive and fair redress scheme that gives them the adequate funds to rebuild their homes,” he concluded.