Council examine options for homeless hostel in Clondalkin area
By Brendan Grehan
SOUTH DUBLIN County Council are currently examining suitable sites for a homeless hostel in Clondalkin.
At last week’s Clondalkin area meeting of SDCC, Cllr Francis Timmons tabled a question asking the Chief Executive to “present a list of sites suitable for a homeless hostel and that all options be presented to this area committee as a matter of urgency so a plan of action can be drawn up and the relevant Department can be lobbied for funding”.
Cllr Timmons also asked for “a full update to be given on funding for social housing, and that a report is given on how this has been progressed as a matter of urgency.”
The council replied that they are “currently examining land ownership in the Clondalkin area to ascertain if any would be suitable for a homeless hostel.”
They added: “When the review is complete a report will be brought to the committee.”
In relation to housing, the council stated that the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (DECLG) has confirmed funding to SDCC for social housing capital projects of €64.7m for the period 2015 to 2017.
They added: “16 properties for acquisition to date have been advised to the Department for in excess of €3m and other properties are being pursued. Work has started on new build at Suncroft, and Belgard and St Finans is due to start shortly.
“All will be funded by the Capital Programme. In July the DECLG gave approval in principal to 8 Approved Housing Bodies for 47 Capital Assistance Scheme projects (35 of these relate to acquisitions and 12 relate to construction projects) in the South Dublin area totalling a value of €5.6m.”
Cllr Timmons told The Echo that a homeless hostel in Clondalkin is definitely on the cards. He said: “We need to have a homeless hostel in Clondalkin. It’s not really a choice at this stage. It’s a question of where, not if.”
