39 boarded-up county council houses in the Tallaght locality
By Mary Dennehy
THERE are currently 39 boarded-up council properties in the Tallaght area, 16 of which are ready for allocation.
Housing was a firm fixture on the agenda of the Tallaght Area Committee meeting on Monday, when Tallaght councillors resumed for their first area meeting since the summer break.
Area view of Tallaght
Among the questions raised on housing, the time it takes to return boarded-up homes to council stock was asked by Councillor Charlie O’Connor (Fianna Fáil).
In its reply, the council confirmed that that there are currently 39 houses shuttered in Tallaght.
Nine of the properties are at quote stage for required works, 14 have works ongoing and 16 are ready for allocation.
According to South Dublin County Council: “The recent appointment of new contractors has seen a reduction in the period taken to carry out required maintenance works which will improve turnaround times for tenants.”
Sinn Féin councillor Dermot Richardson also questioned delays, focusing on the handover of houses built or purchased by the council to the Allocations Section.
In his motion, Cllr Richardson said: “We have families waiting in hubs and homeless individuals told they are getting properties, and some are still waiting as they are told the land has not been handed over to the council.”
Responding, council management said: “Every effort is made to ensure tenants move into properties as soon as possible.
“Newly built properties are advised on Choice Based Letting (CBL) well in advance of their completion date in order to have the allocation process complete when the properties become available.
“Each allocation follows a strict reassessment of potential new tenants, including income and estate management checks.”
The council added: “In relation to the dates of handover of houses and apartments by contractors, these are communicated to the Allocations Section.
“However, delays can occur which are outside the council’s control.
“When a delay of this nature occurs all efforts are made to communicate the new target date to successful applicants.”
The Housing Capital Programme Quarterly Report was also published for councillors.
According to the figures released, 80 homes have been delivered under the capital housing programme in Tallaght since the start of the year.
Sixteen of these homes have been in Tallaght Central, while in Tallaght South 64 houses have been delivered either through local authority build, approved housing body or acquisition.
There are also three Tallaght housing projects in the Construction Programme 2019 to 2021 with Part 8 Planning Approval.
These include St Catherines (13 units), Fernwood and Maplewood (Cluid Housing – 40 units) and Whitestown Way (Cluid Housing – 81 units).
There are also 46 units for Tallaght in the Part V Delivery Programme 2019 – these homes are delivered by developers under Part V rules that 10 per cent of all new builds are allocated for social housing.
These units are due to be delivered in the last quarter of 2019 and first quarter of 2020.
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