Working parents in Tipperary facing homelessness sparks calls for modular housing
Modular housing should be considered for a site in a major north Tipperary town, according to a local councillor.
At the November meeting of the Nenagh Municipal District, independent councillor Seamie Morris said that Tipperary County Council should be considering putting modular homes on a site in Stereame, just outside Nenagh.
According to Cllr Morris, the area has fallen off the council’s list of priorities.
"Stereame has dropped off the list of projects that we have here, but I have an idea for Stereame and I think it’s something that we could go with now that we’ve gotten the go ahead for the waste water treatment plant, I think Stereame would be ideal for modular housing.
"I know we want to put up concrete-based housing, but I think we could put a scheme in there for essential workers,” Cllr Morris said.
Outlining one case he’s aware of, the independent councillor said that people in Tipperary who are working are falling into homelessness.
"I’m dealing with a woman at the moment, with two children, who is working, and she’s homeless, I don’t think we can wait around,” he said.
Morris argued that modular units which are prefabricated and can be delivered far more quickly than traditional block-built homes could help ease the county’s acute housing shortage.
“We can put in modular homes for people up and down the country, and we have a place called Stereame that’s shovel-ready,” he said. "The one in Thurles is beautiful, I’m sure the one in Clonmel is beautiful, and it would solve a problem that we have, and Nenagh’s particularly bad at the moment with a shortage of houses,” he added.
"Housing staff are very, very short of houses, I don’t think we should look down our nose at modular homes as an answer to the problems we have.”
“Let’s be imaginative about it, I think it could be a great scheme for essential workers,” he said.
Praising Nenagh and the work that has happened there in recent years, Cllr Morris said that housing is the major shortfall within the town.
"Nenagh has so much going for it, the one thing we’re short of is houses like a lot of places, but if we use our imagination, I think Stereame could be a great place for modular housing units for essential workers,” Cllr Morris said.
In response, director of services Liam Brett said the council are looking at the most optimum solution for the Stereame site.