Over 300000 for offaly housing

Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy has said €313,500 is being made available to help meet Offaly housing needs.

“In Offaly, €313,500 is being made available in 2015 to bring vacant social housing units back into use... It is a terrible legacy of the recent economic crisis that there are boarded up social housing units around the country when there are people urgently in need of accommodation. This funding package seeks to return these units to use and give people and families the fresh start they need in a new home,” she stated.

“Older people and people with disabilities living in Offaly social housing are also set to benefit from €799,081 in investment in Housing Adaptation Grants. This is part of a €50.5 million package for Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability across the country. The funding will allow extensions to be built for people with a disability as well as housing adaptations to improve mobility aid, such as stair lifts, access ramps etc. A further €217,821 will be made available for local authority house adaptations and extensions to meet the needs of tenants with a disability and to deal with overcrowding,” said Deputy Corcoran Kennedy.

“The third element of this housing funding announcement is a €20 million package for energy retrofitting to make social housing more energy efficient. Offaly is set to receive €565,458 to allow tenants to complete this work to make their homes warmer and more efficient and to cut down on their bills,” she remarked.

Deputy Corcoran Kennedy said “I strongly welcome this funding which is all about bringing more people off the housing waiting list and improving the quality of life for people who are already living in social housing.”