Ballina Electoral Area Committee members reacted with disgruntlement during their recent meeting, when it was announced that housing grants will no longer be approved.
Senior executive officer Paul Benson also warned that money in the kitty won’t even cover grants which already have been approved.
Chair of the committee Councillor Jarlath Munnelly said that the scheme was “badly devised”; Cllr Seamus Weir said that it was “scandalous”; Cllr Gerry Ginty said that the Government hit the old and the vulnerable while they help the rich, while Cllr Michelle Mulherin said that it was a “sham”, and that those people with most needs were not those who were approved for the scheme first. The Fine Gael councillor said that the committee should send a letter to the Department of Environment about people being left “high and dry”.
