From this week’s Galway City Tribune – Galway City Council needs to appoint adequate staff to fill vacant social housing as thousands languish on the housing waiting list.

That’s according to Labour Councillor Níall McNelis who said the fact that there were 118 ‘voids’ in September showed it was taking too long to turn around vacant units – particularly in the context of Galway’s deepening housing crisis.

Figures provided by the City Council show that of those 118, 33 were pending allocation by this week; pre-tenancy works were underway on a further 38 properties and would be complete by year’s end; and a further 20 were scheduled to have works commenced early next year.

Cllr McNelis said while he understood there were works to be carried out on each of these properties, the length of time it was taking was    unacceptable.

“This is around 3.5% of our overall housing stock that’s lying empty – I think it’s scandalous that we have voids in the first place.

“I don’t know how you’d allow those numbers to accumulate,” he said of the Council’s housing department.

(Photo: a boarded-up Council house in Knocknacarra this week)
This is a shortened preview version of this story. To read the rest of the article, see the October 14 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.