From this week’s Galway City Tribune – A proposal for Galway City Council to earmark 80 per cent of two developments for buyers under the affordable housing scheme – instead of all for social housing – has been described as ‘divisive’.

The move pitted local authority tenants against working class residents, it was claimed at a special City Council meeting this week.

Tabled by Independent councillor in Knocknacarra, Donal Lyons, the motion called for the two housing developments planned for Ballyburke (pictured) and Clybaun Road Lower to be 80 per cent affordable housing and 20 per cent social housing.

There are 81 social units planned for Ballyburke and 57 units in total for Clybaun Road – 29 affordable and 28 for social tenants. Clybaun has got initial funding approval from the Department of Housing, so it will now undergo a detailed design. Ballyburke has no affordable element and has yet to go through the first phase of approval.

Cllr Lyons told the meeting that councillors had been told that a substantial proportion of both schemes would be allocated to affordable housing applicants when details of the land purchase came before them for approval. But they were then told at a recent meeting that none of the homes in Ballyburke would be affordable housing.

“There’s an urgent need to address the housing crisis for people who can’t afford houses on the open market. I told constituents this was coming on stream.”

Labour councillor Niall McNelis said this was public land and should have social housing. He decried the claims of some residents lobbying councillors that there were would significant crime in the area if all the homes went to social housing tenants.

“Homes that were social housing originally are now the Notting Hill of Galway. Some of the language used by residents’ groups is deplorable.”
This is a shortened preview version of this story. To read the rest of the article, see the May 26 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can support our journalism and buy a digital edition HERE.