More than 1,100 new social housing units will be provided throughout Galway by 2017, following a €58.4 million grant by the Government to the county’s two local authorities.
The grant is aimed at providing a total of 1,126 social housing units throughout the city and county through buying houses, long-term leases, and construction of housing. This in turn is expected to take 21 per cent (518 units ) and 29 per cent (608 units ) of households off the city and council housing waiting lists respectively.
The Galway city and county councils must now identify sites and schemes to be developed.
Labour Galway West TD Derek Nolan has welcomed the grant, saying it is “good news for the thousands of families on housing waiting lists” across Galway, “after years of zero movement”.
“Social housing is a social good,” he said. “It provides quality homes for those who cannot afford their own, relieves pressure on the private rented market, and is a control on private house prices.”
