Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 July 2014
120. Deputy Michael P. Kitt asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way in which he will utilise the €1.1 million in funding that had been allocated to Tipperary County Council for the purchase of 12 houses in Ros na Cronan estate, Ashbury, Roscrea, County Tipperary but has now been withdrawn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30430/14]
View answerIn March of this year, I announced the approval of some 56 social housing construction projects with an overall value of some €68 million under the local authority housing construction programme for 2014-2015. Some €1.1million was approved in respect of a proposal submitted by North Tipperary County Council, now Tipperary County Council, for the acquisition and refurbishment of 12 houses at Ashbury, Roscrea. Tipperary County Council advised my Department on 7 July that the proposal to purchase and refurbish the 12 houses at Ashbury is no longer being pursued on the basis that the higher cost of acquiring the properties is impacting negatively on the economic viability of the proposal and the project no longer offers a value-for-money solution to meeting local housing need.
An outline proposal for an alternative project, centred around the construction of ten new dwellings on land owned by the Council at an estimated cost of €1.146 million, was received in my Department on 7 July and is being considered at present.
