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26 Mar 2026
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Aras Chill Dara, Naas
A decision to halt funding for new housing developments in south Kildare and west Wicklow has been criticised.
Money for an 73 home development in Ardrew, Athy and some 106 homes in Burgage, Blessington is not being provided - at least not for now.
READ NEXT BREAKING: New Cathaoirleach appointed for Athy at Kildare MD meeting
These social housing projects were to be provided under a private public partnership (PPP) arrangement.
The sites have full planning permission but concerns have arisen over the high cost of the projects.
There Kildare councillors - Aoife Breslin, Anne Breen and Rupert Heather - are seeking a meeting with James Browne, the Minister for Housing and the Department of Housing and Local Government following the announcement that the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) have been instructed by the department not to proceed to award the contract.
They have also concerned about the impact of this on plans to provide social housing further down the line in Oldtown Mill, Celbridge (60 homes); Coolaghknock Glebe, Kildare town (99 social units and 32 affordable dwellings) and later still at Rathasker Road, Naas (104 units) and Rickardstown, Newbridge (98 social units and 48 affordable units).
Cllr Breslin told a Kildare County Council meeting that there are 15,500 people homeless across the country, including 4,000 children.
She said she was not saying that houses should be built at a cost of €1m but there needs to be clarity from the department about what is happening.
She also said the design for the Ardrew development should remain in place and she raised the possibility of KCC progressing with the plan anyway.
“We have a huge waiting list," she said.
KCC official Annette Aspell said the cost of providing the houses is not just the price of the build but includes maintenance and management for 25 years.
Ms Aspell said the PPP route was chosen because KCC was low on resources.
Ms Aspell estimated that there will be a delay of 12-15 months to the project in Athy.
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