A shortage of emergency accommodation in Athlone is cause for much concern, according to Cllr Frankie Keena, who, during the most recent sitting of the Municipal District, implored the need to provide a scheme of rapid build modular homes for all who require immediate housing in the area.
“It is a great boost to witness the number of new housing schemes being built in Athlone and Moate at the moment. In addition to such construction we have a number of large housing schemes with full permission granted awaiting commencement. I am glad to say that when all these are built Athlone will have in excess of 1,300 new houses available. Further to this, there is a number of large housing schemes earmarked for Athlone that are still going through the planning process.
“While all this is very positive and welcoming, I am still worried about those people who are presently being faced with eviction and the threat of being homeless. I am receiving regular representations from such individuals who are faced with these horrific circumstances.
“Therefore, I am seeking support to correspond to the Minister for Housing, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, regarding the need to build a scheme of rapid build modular houses in the Athlone area to ease the burden on Westmeath County Council in addressing the social housing issue.
“Some modular homes have already been provided in the country, but my proposal is to provide a scheme of these houses in Athlone to cater for the needs of the numerous Irish people who are stressed as ‘Notice to Quit (NTO )’ letters arrive in their letterboxes. These individuals are currently on our local authority housing list and probably in receipt of HAP or RAS rent allowances.
“Such a modular scheme of houses could be used as interim step down housing for those in receipt of NTQ letters and the threat of homelessness. It would give the council a breathing space to help locate a more permanent home for them.
“I am aware that the Department of Housing allocated €94m to councils for the purpose of building social housing using MMC houses (modern methods of construction ) on State owned land. The benefits of such MMC builds are significant with a 20 to 60 percent reduction in construction programme time, a 20 to 40 percent reduction in construction costs and a 70 percent plus reduction in onsite labour.
“While this is welcome and we can see a number of such schemes being built in Athlone, I still feel that we need a quick fix solution with modular builds to be used as interim step down housing. In other words we need to be providing these modular homes to cater for all individual’s housing needs on a short term basis and not just for one nationality,” Cllr Keena said
Responding, a spokesperson for the council executive stated that the ‘Housing for All Plan’ does not provide for the utilisation of modular housing systems by local authorities to increase the housing stock to address homelessness and social housing need.
“Until recently the OPW had been responsible for the delivery of rapid build modular homes for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY ) for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection.
“Since the December 15 2023, local authorities have been requested to assess/pre-screen expressions of interest from third parties to provide modular residential developments using Volumetric Modular system for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BoTP ) Accommodation.
“Expressions of interest are submitted through the online portal on the Department website and following assessment by the local authority, if deemed suitable, will proceed to full assessment by DCEDIY,” the spokesperson concluded.
