As with all state agencies, getting information on facts and figures from them is a near impossibility.
My 800 figure wouldn’t be too far off the mark.
I read in one of the local papers last year where they reported there were nearly 830 names on the waiting list here in Laois.
What with the economy being in turmoil, and people not being able to afford their mortgages I feel many more families will now have to turn to the local authority for accommodation.
Originally Posted by Michael Moloney MCC(I)
I reckon that Michael Moloneys best chance of a seat is in the Emo area , despite the fact that Mountmellick is their base , The Moloney family are very well respected in the broader hinterland. He would be really up against it in the Portlaoise area, as he would have to start from scratch. When there is an anti governmet surge it seldom benefits the independents , unless Mick is thinking on running on the Fine Gael Ticket.
Councillors have no role in deciding how to eliminate the housing waiting lists. The Housing depart of the Council presents the Depart at Gov level with its requests for funding under different categories and based on what it receives it implements under the said headings.
Now, as to how I would deal with the housing issue, in the first instance, we are talking about the current fiscal situation and as the Gov is in breach of EU stability and growth pact rules, (EU states are required to keep their budget deficit to GDP ratio below a 3pc limit), and as the Government's borrowings will hit 5.5pc this year and 6.5pc next year, this being the case I presume that buying a stock of houses at a knock down prices is unlikely as cut backs on expenditure of a capital nature is more likely than increasing it is. So………
Firstly, I think it is a given that there are more new build units lying empty that cannot be sold here in Laois than are numbers on the housing waiting list ( an estimated 900 new units a in Portlaoise for sale and if you factor in all the units in Portarlington against a max of 1000 on the housing waiting list).
Even before the credit crunch the demand for housing had collapsed throughout the county, so we have a large supply of unwanted units owned by stressed builders with
no cashflow to service their debts. Therefore…….
The Council should be allowed to enter into full contracts to purchases the houses from the builders with closing dates from anything from 5 to 10 years down the line
at a price of around €150,000 ( 3 B/R) and take over the units now, paying a rent for the units until the closing date of the sales. The rent to be fixed at 3% to 4% interest of the purchase price (the Council are already renting units for €120 p.w. from private landlords.
What are the benefits – To The State:-
The Council clears its waiting list, leaving staff to be cut to a minimum so transferred to other areas,
Long term purchase deals at a very fair price and no costly time with the Councils engineers preparing drawings, tender documents etc to build new council schemes.
More than likely, the majority on the housing waiting lists are getting State rent allowances, so the cost is minimal and when the purchases take place with the Exchequer borrowing costs might see this cost further reduced.
Benefits for the Bank and Developer: -
Agreement from all parties ( developer / bank / council) that the income stream go directly to the bank to service the interest off the developers loan.)
On closing, the bank gets the proceeds from the sales to the Council, so a very likely bad debt is rescued and in the current climate with the very banks having undermined their own solvency by this very borrowing on day one, it reduces pressure on its own operation.
The developer, has a way out, how well he is sorted depends on the level of indebtedness in the first instance but if it saved him from liquidation or bankruptcy I cannot see how one could complain.
Finally, at the physiological level in the local economy , the ability to bring some solutions to the serious negative sentiment that is about has to do some good.
As I said at the outset we have no say in these matters, we rubber stamp end of story.
Michael Moloney MCC ( I ) Laois CC
Yes that might happen. Michael might just get the call from cowen and I think he might give it some serious consideration, could be the reason he is playing his cards close to his chest. Any views on how Bowe will fair out by his change over to Labour in view of the fact that independents seem to be on an upward trend in the polls right now?
[QUOTE=phonix;1289086]Yes that might happen. Michael might just get the call from cowen and I think he might give it some serious consideration, could be the reason he is playing his cards close to his chest/QUOTE]
Not having to tow a particular party line is what makes him so effective at his job. As he has said himself FG are likely to be the benifactors of boundery ajustments in his current ward. He will need a good team of canvassers and good policey, which i think he has in spades.
Could those who are contributing to this thread please say what party or individual they might vote for and for what reasons would they vote for them?
This is how I will be voting next year
Lodge FF NO.1
Nolan FF NO.2
Stanley SF NO.3
Jacob ind NO.4
All good workers and all deserving of a vote
As of today Nov 21st 08 there are 1170 on the housing list in Laois and growing by the day as per senior housing offical.
Michael Moloney MCC (I) Laois CC
Someone who posts on this site. Watch this space
Spent the last two hours chatting with 2 of the FG councillors and they gave me the name of the likey fourth candidate on their ticket in the Portlaoise area. As he is a close aquaintance of mine I gave him a call and he tells me that he is giving it strong consideration and will give the answer in the next few weeks. Should he go, I can see FG been in a very strong position to take 3 seats and should he succeed in taking that third seat, I would see him been more policy orientated than playing the party political line. I will not be disclosing his name as this would not be in order at this point.
Michael Moloney MCC (I) Laois CC
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