There’s some relief for families who are bearing the brunt of the housing crisis in Ireland at last. A plan has been formulated to refurbish 1,400 vacant social houses for homeless families and those on the social housing waiting list.
Housing Minister Simon Coveney is due to announce that €24m will be spent on the scheme, which is part of the Government’s Vacant Properties (voids) programme later today, according to The Irish Examiner.
The scheme began in 2014 and so far over €85m has been spent on refurbishing over 7,200 properties.
Local authorities must submit a prioritised list of properties for remediation and there is a maximum funding of €30,000 per dwelling for the year of 2017.
The recent census results revealed that there were many vacant dwelling places spread throughout Ireland in 2016 but many of these are currently not fit to live in.
The scheme will certainly benefit families living in cities where the housing crisis is particularly severe.
In Cork city, 112 properties are expected to be returned to use at a cost of almost €2.2m, while in Dublin 539 units will be upgraded at a cost of €10.6m.
This is one of the government’s measures to tackle the housing and homelessness crisis.
The houses will be restored to energy-efficient conditions, according to Minister Coveney’s department.
Due to the shortage of social housing and a shortage of rental properties, there are now more children and families homeless than ever before. Many families are faced with the prospect of living in emergency accommodation long-term and are trying to bring up their children in hotels and B&B's.
According to a report issued by Focus Ireland, 13 families with children – including babies – were found sleeping rough in Dublin last summer. These families were found sleeping in cars or tents, and as of now, only four are in emergency accommodation.
To add to that already shocking statistic, the report also revealed that a further 73 families at risk of sleeping rough had been diverted into emergency accommodation.
Commenting on the significance of the latest findings, Adrian Quinn of Focus Ireland said: “These are a very vulnerable cohort because it includes children – who should never, never be entering this environment.”
Hopefully, the refurbished properties will benefit some of the most vulnerable families and children.
