THE sauce for the goose needs to be the sauce for the gander when it comes to affordable housing across County Limerick.
This was the message from Fine Gael councillor Liam Galvin at County Hall on Monday, who called for people in all districts to be treated equally when it comes to having the opportunity to secure affordable housing.
Cllr Galvin was responding to concerns raised by Cllr Stephen Keary at this month’s full meeting of Limerick City and County Council about conditions imposed for eight serviced sites on a 14-acre development on the Rathkeale Road in Adare.
Cllr Keary pointed out that young people in the area would be precluded under the terms of the scheme.
Fianna Fáil councillor Bridie Collins also raised concerns that the cost of the sites in Adare would fall outside the limit of affordability to most people. She regarded €250,000 as an affordable price.
Party colleague Cllr Kevin Sheahan took the view that affordable housing is a necessary part of addressing the housing crisis. He also said he would like to see more affordable housing and less social housing.
Cllr Liam Galvin (FG) told the council executive he was “kind of worried” after hearing this discussion.
“We need to be very careful what we are doing. All districts need to be treated the same. Adare is not treated the same as any other town when it comes to social housing. Sauce for the goose needs to be sauce for the gander,” the Abbeyfeale man commented.
“€250,000 is not affordable to a lot of people. You’d need two nice incomes coming in to pay off that.
“Adare is no different to any other village. The tourists come in and see the thatched cottages and turn around and head straight back to town. I would expect that all districts be treated the same,” he concluded.
The Council’s Director of Services for Housing Development, Aoife Duke assured Cllr Galvin that all districts would be treated equally in relation to affordable housing.
