Fine Gael TD for Longford-Westmeath, Gabrielle McFadden, has said that the number of unfinished housing development or ghost estates in Westmeath has decreased by more than 81 per cent since 2010.
The number of unfinished housing developments or so-called ghost estates has fallen from 43 in 2010 to eight today. These new figures have been revealed by the Minister for Housing, Paudie Coffey, who has published the fourth annual progress report on tackling the issue of unfinished housing developments. Nationally there has been a 75 per cent drop in the unfinished developments since 2010.
Of the 668 unfinished developments identified in the 2015 survey, Minister Coffey indicated that his objective is to resolve as many more developments as possible with a particular focus on the 492 of these developments with residents. Speaking on the figures, Deputy Gabrielle McFadden said: “Minister Coffey also intends to engage with the relevant local authorities to explore options on the future viability of unoccupied unfinished developments.
“Of the 668 unfinished developments identified in the 2015 survey, the Government’s objective is to resolve as many more developments as possible with a particular focus on the 492 of these developments with residents. The most visible scars of Fianna Fáil’s economic crash were the ghost estates across Westmeath. Now as the recovery takes hold these scars are being removed.
“Fine Gael has a long-term plan to keep the recovery going. We are seeing economic progress, with over 135,000 more people at work, but we cannot take for granted that stability and recovery will continue. Our plan will deliver more new jobs, spread right across the country, jobs that pay more than welfare, where hard work is rewarded and affordable, sustainable improvements in services using the resources from growing employment. We cannot go back to the days of Fianna Fáil’s ghost estates.”
