A TOTAL of €3 million is being made available to help meet Donegal’s housing needs in a variety of ways.
TD for Donegal South West, Dinny McGinley confirmed the funding forms part of a €91 million Government package to make more social housing available to those who need it. It also aims to improve the standard of housing for people with disabilities, as well as retrofitting homes to improve energy efficiency.
In Donegal, €392, 030 is being made available in 2015 to bring vacant social housing units back into use. In total across the country over 1,000 units will be returned to the housing list for people and families who need them. This builds on the more than 2,300 units brought on stream last year with an average cost of refurbishment of €11,277.
“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,” said Deputy McGinley.
Older people and people with disabilities living in Donegal social housing are also set to benefit from €1,124,540 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 €232,844 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.
“The third element of this housing funding announcement is a €20 million package for energy retrofitting to make social housing more energy efficient. Donegal is set to receive €1,207,231 to allow tenants to complete this work to make their homes warmer and more efficient and to cut down on their bills.
Deputy McGinley concluded: “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.”
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