15 new social homes planned

South Dublin County Council has announced that it intends to complete 15 new social houses within the local authority by the second quarter of 2016.
At the March county council meeting, a proposed building programme was presented to elected officials as part of the Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020.
It was announced that an overall working target of 647 dwellings would be pursued as the council’s immediate target.
Social houses, which are to be constructed under a tender arrangement, are in the process of approval for Suncroft, Tallaght (10), St Finian’s, Lucan (two), and Belgard Road, Tallaght (two).
Three other projects in the local authority have been through the Part 8 public consultation process, are costed and awaiting sanction to proceed to tender from the Department of the Environment.
These homes will be provided in St Mark’s Green (11), Mayfield (18), and Mac Ulliam (28).
According to the council: “Countywide, sites for social housing with capacity in excess of 600 units have been identified. Of those, the tender process in respect of 15 units is nearing completion.”
The council said it was anticipated that construction would commence on site in the first quarter of 2015 with a target delivery date of mid-2016.  It said budget cost approval was awaited by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for a further 57 units with a target commencement date in the third quarter of 2015.
Clondalkin’s Cllr Eoin O Broin (SF) said: “[This] proposal is a small first step in tackling the council’s housing crisis.
“However, a far greater level of house construction will be required if we are to genuinely meet people’s housing needs.
“With more than 8,000 families on our waiting lists and new families presenting as homeless every week South Dublin County Council needs thousands of new council homes.”
Lucan Cllr William Lavelle (FG) told The Gazette: “In recent years the council has built negligible amounts of social housing.
“The decision by the Fine Gael-Labour Government to publish the new social housing 2020 strategy and to kick start a programme which will lead to 35,000 social houses over the next number of years is very welcome.
“I welcome what the council are proposing. It is an important start given that there has been so little built over the past number of years and it demonstrates the commitment of the Government and the council to address the housing problems in the State.”