Minister for Housing should ‘hang his head in shame’, Kildare rep says

The Minister of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne, should "hang his head in shame", a recent Kildare County Council (KCC) meeting heard.

The Mayor of the Athy Municipal District (MD), Labour Party councillor Aoife Breslin, made the comments at the latest MD meeting, which took place on Monday, June 16 last.

The topic came about when she motioned “for the members to immediately seek a meeting with the Minister for Housing and the Department of Housing and Local Government, following the announcement that the National Development Finance Agency have been instructed by the Department not to proceed to award the contract for PPP Bundle 3.”

According to Mayor Breslin: "This development has a serious impact on proceeding with the construction of the 79 units at Ardrew, Athy."

Her motion found support in Fianna Fáil Cllr Veralouise Behan.

Labour Party Cllr and Mayor of the Athy Municipal District, Aoife Breslin. Photo credit: kildarecoco.ie

Mayor Breslin also told those in attendance that she was of the belief that if the Minister can come before Cork County Council and Dublin County Council, then he can come before KCC to discuss the matter.

In addition, Cllr Behan said that the decision "seems like irresponsible management" from the Department's side.

Her party colleague, Cllr Brian Dooley said that he also agreed with this sentiment, as did Fine Gael Cllr Ivan Keatley (Both Cllrs appeared at this meeting by virtual means).

In response to Mayor Breslin's motion, KCC said via its report it presented at the meeting that this was a matter for the members to agree upon, and the members subsequently agreed to seek a meeting with Minister Browne.

ADDITIONAL CONTEXT

Speaking further about the matter following the meeting, Mayor Breslin told the Leader that Ardrew was part of PPP Bundle 3, which was sanctioned by the Department for 73 houses.

According to Mayor Breslin: "In Bundle 3, there was also to be houses built in Sligo, Dublin and Wicklow. The four sites were bundled together to make it more cost efficient."

She also claimed: "The Ardrew site has obtained planning permission and the contractor was appointed and site inspections had commenced at the 12th hour the Department decided not to proceed.

In addition, Mayor Breslin said that the Department "has also undertaken a review of Bundles 4 to 7 — KCC has a number of [housing] units in Bundles 4 to 7".

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage was asked for comment regarding the criticisms made, but did not respond in time for publication.

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