'Fire sale' of council houses
FIFTY-ONE NEW houses in estates throughout North Cork, owned by Cork County Council but unpurchased under the Affordable Housing Scheme, have been put up for sale on the open market.
In a clear sign of the times, the council is being forced to sell the houses for "whatever the market will offer for them".
Ten of the house are in Bweeng, three in Millstreet, two in Castlelyons, 11 in Rathcormac, 10 in Mitchelstown, one in Kilworth, six in Glanworth, two in Charleville and six in Kanturk.
Divisional Manager Tim Lucey told Monday's meeting of the council's northern area committee that the houses are being sold in a bid to clear some of the debts built up in the provision of housing over recent years.
While some councillors expressed concern about putting all of the houses on the market at the same time - and the signals that might be sending to the public - Cllr Gerard Murphy insisted: "There's no point in pussyfooting around about it; these houses are for sale and we should sell them."
Councillor Tom Barry said that there has to be some set bottom price but, while Mr Lucey did indicate that "we do have an idea in our heads of their worth", he declined to fix a minimum price saying "they will sell for whatever the market will offer for them".
However, it was stressed by council officials that the sale of these houses is a 'reserve function', which means that the councillors themselves will have to approve each of the sales - and therefore each of the prices - before any sale is complete.
Welcoming the decision to sell, Councillor Timmy Collins said: "I think it's the right move, the right idea. There are houses in Kanturk lying idle for some time and there is a danger of vandalism."
However, the move has been questioned by Labour Deputy Sean Sherlock who raised the issue in the Dail on Tuesday, saying there was "not a snowball's chance in hell" that the houses would sell on the open market.
"If the houses were advertised as ' rent-to-buy' type lettings they could be occupied, which is extremely important. After two or three years occupants could decide if they want to buy them," said Deputy Sherlock.
"A degree of flexibility and lateral thinking would provide people with the opportunity to rent these houses. This would be a more common-sense and practical approach to dealing with the issue of unoccupied houses in certain estates," he added.
In reply to Deputy Sherlock, John Moloney TD said the government is looking at introducing a rent-to-buy scheme in some local authority areas as part of an overall strategy to occupy empty houses.
- TRISH O'DEA BILL BROWNE AND
