"They can't do another winter" - Councillor pleads for funding for decaying housing estate
A Donegal county councillor has appealed for urgent funding for 21 social houses that are in such a bad state they can no longer even be maintained.
The call came from Sinn Féin councillor Brian Carr during the September meeting of the Glenties Municipal District in Dungloe on Tuesday.
The housing estate in need of immediate remediation works is Glenview in Ardara.
There are 21 homes in Glenview, with 40 residents living in the estate.
Carr said the homes are in appalling condition, and that previous calls from residents to the council have fallen on deaf ears.
"Residents have been constantly on to the council over the last few years, but it needs to be raised to another level. Glenview is likely to be the only estate in the Glenties Municipal District area that still has wooden windows and doors.
"They need to be urgently upgraded. The windows are warped and they can't close properly in some cases, the doors are rotted, and there is draughts coming from everywhere," said Carr.
Carr also highlighted that a number of children with existing health conditions live in Glenview.
"There are kids that have serious health issues living in Glenview, and with winter fast approaching, families just can't do another winter in these conditions, something has to give," said Carr.
Carr has been campaigning hard, and he wrote to senior officials in charge of social housing at Donegal County Council.
He was able to get an estimate on the cost of remediation works to the estate.
"Council officials visited Glenview a couple of weeks ago, and they accept that a number of homes have gone beyond repair. Maintenance teams were sent out, but again, such is the condition they can no longer be maintained.
"The cost of carrying out the repairs needed is about €210,000, and the funding simply needs to be made available, as these people can't stay in these homes any longer," said Carr.
Carr said a remediation scheme for social housing is in the works, but that Glenview can't wait for that.
"The residents living in Glenview can't make for a social housing remediation scheme. The work needs to done ASAP," said Carr.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.