Longford projects unable to proceed due to €5 million voids deficit

County Longford has retrofitted more than 160 social houses since 2022, but the local authority is still dealing with a significant voids shortfall and the local authority has had to pay a large portion from their own budget.

It emerged last March that Longford County Council was forced to pay €5 million in recent years to cover the vacant housing units  (voids) scheme shortfall and it was described as an 'acute financial matter'.

Local Fine Gael Cllr Peggy Nolan said unfortunately the situation has not changed or improved since then during the past six months and the €5 million deficit  still stands with the local authority under increasing pressure.

The recently published Local Government Climate Action Key Performance Indicators Report revealed there has been an increase year-on-year in relation to the number of retrofitted homes.

Retrofitting refers to making upgrades and changes to a house to enhance its energy efficiency, comfort and performance.

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Works will typically involve insulation, upgrades of windows and doors and installation of heat pumps (renewable energy heating systems), as committed under the Programme for Government.

The report found county Longford had retrofitted 163 social homes compared to 88 newly-upgraded social homes in county Roscommon and  57 retrofits in county Leitrim.

Local Fine Gael Councillor Peggy Nolan said the figures and data is concerning.

"It is a reflection of the finances of our local authority. 

"We are supposed to be reimbursed annually for every house that is retrofitted but that is not the story right across the country, and it has been brought up at meetings and with the department. 

"We have to strike a budget every year, and we need the funding that we're owed to be paid to us so that we can strike that budget  and leave everything in good stead for the people of this county.”

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Cllr Nolan said the department has not reimbursed them any of the money for all of the retrofitting they have done, which she said 'means that even when they do, there will still be a shortfall'.

"This whole scheme has to be looked at, and if the Government is really serious and we all have to be serious about our carbon footprint, we have to get this right. 

"And the same for every house that they retrofit this year, the same thing is going to have to happen.

"We need that money reimbursed.

"That is coming out of programmes that we could progress with in Longford."

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Cllr Nolan recently stated the Government were giving them €11,000  per void and retrofit but it was costing €60,000 and they were being forced to take money of their own resources to meet the shortfall.