Sir, – I am tired listening to the constant chatter in the media about the housing shortages in Ireland. Here in Co Leitrim we have an absolute glut of suitable housing.
This arose during the Celtic Tiger era, when speculators from all over Ireland raced each other to get planning permissions in Co Leitrim, as part of the North Shannon Incentive Scheme. A total of 233 housing estates mushroomed up in a few short years.
When the bubble burst, the outside speculators cut and ran. The estates went into liquidation and receivership. Now there are over 100 estates that are “unfinished”.
A small number will need to be demolished, but there are many which, with a small Government investment, could be brought up to standard and become real assets for Ireland.
At a conservative estimate, there are over 2,000 houses that could be made available here within a matter of months. All it would take is a little thinking outside the box.
Of course, we will need big investment to create employments, but we, badly neglected for years, deserve to be treated properly by our Government at national level. – Yours, etc,
Cllr DES GUCKIAN,
Dromod,
Co Leitrim.