Three Enniscorthy Councillors have expressed their concerns over the housing crisis in the district when speaking to Alan Corcoran on South East Radios, Morning Mix today.
A total of 18 homes have been built in the last three years, with just one being built by the council in 2023. There are currently no plans to construct any more in the next two years, according to figures revealed by local representatives.
Independent Councillor Jackser Owens outlined his frustrations over the current housing situation:
“We were giving out 40 houses a year when I started out as a Councillor and now we are giving out one. We simply cannot get the housing list down this way.”
Up to 700 people are currently on the waiting list for a house in the area. A majority of those on the list are looking for a one or two bed property, something that the private market is not currently supplying.
Fine Gael Councillor, Cathal Byrne spoke about the lack of a housing plan moving forward:
“Its a core function of Wexford County Council to construct these houses and to build them, at the moment we don’t have any plan for Enniscorthy all the way up to 2026 and it’s just not acceptable. At the last housing meeting the issue was raised by myself, Barbara Ann Murphy and Jackser Owens.”
Fianna Fáil Councillor, Barbara Ann Murphy says that it is turning into a blame game:
“We have villages that are dying because we are not building houses. Irish Water said that the Council had no demand for water or sewerage in most of our villages, but the Council said that there was no water or sewerage available.”
She went on to say that a plan must be put in place moving forward and that she is frustrated not to see anything on paper for the future.
