FINE Gael councillor Jerome Scanlan has called on Limerick City and County Council to provide paint to social housing tenants.
At this month’s meeting of Newcastle West Municipal District he asked the Council to reinstate an arrangement that was in place under the old Limerick County Council.
“Paint was provided to tenants and local authority communities who undertook the task of applying the paint themselves,” he explained.
Seamus Hanrahan of the Council’s Housing Development Department said the programme could not be reintroduced due to changes in the insurance environment.
“We consulted with our insurers and they said this practice cannot be facilitated on liability grounds.
“The Council is in the initial stages of examining the feasibility of a ‘Self Help Scheme’ similar to that operated by Kildare County Council, which if adopted, will enable tenants to carry out minor maintenance works on council properties, in conjunction with an appropriate inspection regime by council staff,” he explained.
