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There’s a ‘serious issue’ in regard to the rate of refusal by members of the public when it comes to council houses, a figure of 43% being quoted this week. Photo: iStock

"There is a serious issue regarding the rate of refusal of council houses by members of the public in North Cork." That was the message from the Director of Services for Housing, Mary Ryan at this month's Northern Committee meeting in Mallow.

"Although a lot of progress is being made in relation to vacant council houses, and even though a lot of work and resources have gone into bringing them up to standard, the refusal rate for the past year stands at 43%," she informed the elected members. She stressed that some reasons for refusal are 'genuine and understandable', but that some are 'less so'.

BEECHFIELD FLATS

Cllr Noel McCarthy said that the 43% refusal rate is disappointing, that he could understand some reasons for not taking a house but that the days for picking and choosing are gone. He also raised the issue of the Beechfield flats in Fermoy.

“Some of them are vacant since 2009. I’m concerned also though about the ones that are occupied. The people live in awful conditions. They are subjected to drafts and windows not closing properly. If work is being done on the vacant flats, then it also needs to be carried out on the occupied ones.”

Cllr Frank O’Flynn stressed that he knows many people on the waiting list for a house and expressed a desire that the timeframe for houses coming on stream in Fermoy be at the soonest possible date. There are currently 1,700 on the list in the North Cork area.

Commenting on the Beechfield flats, Mary Ryan said it will take serious money to get all necessary works on vacant and occupied flats carried out and that the problem 'won’t be solved today or tomorrow'. She will make a case to the government department on housing for funds so as the work can be carried out, but stressed that it will be 'a long term project'. She said this will include work on the occupied flats.

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