The lack of houses available for rent in the city could seriously hamper job creation and inward investment in Galway, that is according to Independent Knocknacarra councillor for Galway City West, Donal Lyons who is calling for the Government to take action by providing incentives for the construction industry.
“There has been no major construction in Galway city for the last five to six years and as a result we now have a housing shortage that is reaching crisis point. The lack of houses available locally could hamper job creation and inward investment prospects, and I am calling for action by the Government to provide incentives to the building industry and fast track planning applications in order to kick-start construction.
“A snapshot of the properties advertised last Friday, which was completed by Threshold, shows that there are just 140 properties available for rent in Galway, with only 16 one-bedroom properties available. The lack of houses and the increases in rent prices is putting huge pressure on young couples, many of whom can’t secure a mortgage at the moment, and the difficulty in sourcing properties means that people are being forced to move in with family and friends.
Cllr Lyons concluded: “This is a deterrent to people considering a move to Galway for employment, and if the problem continues it will impact on the quality of the workforce in Galway. The banks are also repossessing a large number of buy-to-let properties, which is causing huge hardship for tenants and it also causes a problem for people on rent supplement, who are struggling to secure properties within the maximum rent levels. It’s time that the Government provide some incentives for the construction industry to kick-start construction, as this situation will deteriorate further unless action is taken as a matter of urgency.”
