Councillors have hit out at Kerry County Council over the allocation of housing in a new development in Castleisland town.
It followed a motion by Fine Gael councillor, Bobby O’Connell at yesterday's meeting of the Castleisland Corca Dhuibhne municpal district.
The Fine Gael councillor asked the local authority to ensure that no more than 20% of new homes at the development in Cahernard be allocated for social housing.
It's planned all 67 houses on the new estates will be reserved for social housing.
Kerry County Council said the delivery of social housing units and associated targets are set out in the Government's Housing for All policy/
The council said in the Castleisland Local Electoral Area (LEA), there are very limited areas with the capacity to facilitate social housing delivery; and apart from Castleisland town, other settlements have a low level of need for social housing.
Cllr O’Connell said he was unhappy with the response, adding that this was just a box ticking exercise for Kerry County Council.
He said historically large social housing estates don’t work and a lot of the time, they lead to anti-social behaviour.
Cllr O’Connell described the allocation as a knee jerk reaction to a national problem; adding while social housing is required, what’s really needed in the area is affordable housing, and described the allocation all 67 houses in the estate to social housing as duplicitous.
Independent councillor Charlie Farrelly seconded Bobby O'Connell's motion.
Cllr Farrelly said it’s a disgrace that all the homes will be allocated for social housing and was disappointed that an assignment of 40% private housing in the estate was not even considered.
Cllr Jackie Healy-Rae said it wasn’t fair to say - that because the estate was all social housing, that it would lead to trouble.
He said some houses should have been made available to the private market.
Kerry County Council responded that when the Cahernard development was put to members in December 2021, it was agreed in line with the council's action plan.
The council said the project has been approved and will be completed as envisaged, and that it's highly unlikely the development would have been delivered at all except for its inclusion within the social housing development programme.
