Carlow County Council’s housing department is hoping to raise close to €8 million in loans in order to fund current and future projects, it was revealed.
Director of services Dan McInerney told councillors last week that the local authority were seeking a single €6 million loan from the Housing Finance Agency for voluntary housing purposes.
He said the loan was required to fund a number of ongoing schemes as well as a number of schemes expected to be started over the coming 12 to 18 months.
That includes projects involving Tintean in Tinryland and Respond in Tullow and other voluntary housing social units under the capital loan and subsidy scheme (CLSS ).
In response to calls for more voluntary housing, Mr McInerney noted that last year 28 houses were made available in Tommy Murphy Park in Graiguecullen while 53 apartments for the elderly were developed this year through the Sue Ryder Foundation.
The Tintean scheme in Tinryland is the next scheme on the agenda this year. And construction is expected to begin soon on a new, 36-house development in Carlow town comprising 18 social and 18 affordable homes.
Meanwhile the housing department is also seeking further loans from the Housing Finance Agency totalling €1.775 million for housing purposes.
The loan of €1.6 million is to cover the cost of the transcation between the county council and Carlow VEC in relation to lands at the Parade, Bagenalstown and the proposed new sports hall at Parc Mhuire, Bagenalstown.
The remaining €175,000 is to cover the balance of purchase costs and fees for lands at Rathvilly for housing purposes.
Councillors gave their backing to both proposed loans, although the €1.6 million and €175,000 will also need to be sanctioned by the Environment Minister.
