Uncategorized

 Fine Gael Wicklow TD Andrew Doyle has welcomed the allocation of €465,744 to bring Local Authority housing back into use in Wicklow .

“There are two particular programmes which provide support for Local Authorities to refurbish vacant social housing stock requiring more significant works than the normal level of pre-letting repairs. The Voids programme, which commenced in 2014, provides funding support of up to €30,000 per unit.  The Derelicts programme was introduced in 2016 to provide additional support to Local Authorities in remediating more seriously derelict social houses.

“€465,744 has been allocated to Wicklow County Council for the Voids and Derelicts programmes and 21 housing units were submitted for funding. So far, 14 units have been approved for funding under this allocation for funding.

“Returning vacant Local Authority housing to use is a key plank of Minister Simon Coveney’s radical new housing plan ‘Rebuilding Ireland’ and it is crucially important in helping to tackle our homelessness problem.

“In addition, the Housing Agency is also being provided with €70 million of capital funding to engage with banks and investment companies to acquire properties for social housing nationally, which will deliver 1,600 units over the period to 2020. Other measures include a new Repair and Leasing Initiative to allow Local Authorities to provide financial assistance to property owners to bring vacant properties up to standard which can then be leased for social housing.  Capital provision of €6 million in 2017 will deliver 150 units under this new initiative. A new Buy and Renew initiative will also support Local Authorities and approved housing bodies to purchase private housing units in need of remediation, renew them and make them available for social housing use.  An initial capital provision of €25 million will be available for this initiative in 2017.

“As a Government TD for Wicklow  I am working hard to ensure that Minister Coveney’s innovative housing plan delivers for Wicklow  and meets the housing needs of our people.”

Fine Gael Wicklow TD, Andrew Doyle, has urged local organisations in Wicklow who are working with victims of crime to apply for the 2017 Victims of Crime Funding Scheme.

“This week, my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, announced the 2017 Victims of Crime Office funding scheme for organisations working with victims of crime.

“The work that these organisations do, here in Wicklow and across the country, helps to reduce the trauma experienced by victims of crime and helps them to move on with their lives. I am proud to support their invaluable efforts.

“This funding increase will assist community and voluntary organisations here in Wicklow in meeting the additional demands for support services, such as the provision of information on the rights of victims and court accompaniment.

“The Tánaiste secured an additional €250,000 in funding for 2017 over and above the 2016 allocation, bringing the total funding available in 2017 to €1.712m.

“Fine Gael is committed to using a strong economy to help make people’s lives better.  Thanks to the careful economic management of recent years we now have the resources to target investments in key public services, that will make a real difference to people’s lives. Investment in supporting the victims of crime here in Wicklow  is a crucial part of that.”