Longford Councillor calls for a review of the vacant homes scheme

Councillor Paul Ross has called on the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien to review the Croí Cónaithe Vacant Homes Grant Scheme. The councillor also requested that the Minister introduce a phased payment system that would allow the recipients to receive the grant in a series of payments.

The councillor put forward this motion at the Longford County Council’s monthly meeting that took place last Thursday, 10 October.

Mr Ross praised the scheme saying, “I think it's a great scheme, but there is a minor flaw in it,”

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“There's payments of up to €57,000 but banks are not lending for that payment because the grant isn’t guaranteed until the work is finished,” he explained.

The rest of the council also praised the scheme, bar one, Cathaoirleach Cllr Mark Casey who had the opposite view of the grant.

“I think it’s an absolute disgrace to grant this scheme,” said Cllr Casey.

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“It’s designed for rich people to do up houses and rent them out to poor people,” 

“Young people can’t afford this €70,000 and then pay off the loan, it’s older people who are doing up these houses and renting them out,” remarked the Cathaoirelach

“It’s anti-poor people and it’s anti-young people,”

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Councillor Uruemu Adejinmi then chimed in with her opinion on the scheme and expressed her support of it. She did however agree with one of the Cathaoirleach's points.

“Initially it was for purchase and refurbishment for people that intended to live in the property,” she explained “My only regret is that it was extended to refurbishment and putting it up to let,”

“Obviously there are people that are still purchasing to live in the property,”

“Any scheme that sees a roof over peoples heads I think should be supported by every public person,”