HOUSING Minister Eoghan Murphy has been told to admit whether or not the money is available to build long-promised council houses in Killarney.
Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae said a 20-house development planned for the town is the first for eight years but the department has asked the local authority to lower the costs involved.
“That was very wrong and a needless waste of time. The cost of the houses cannot be determined until the contract goes out and the tender comes in,” Deputy Healy-Rae stated.
“I am asking the minister to say honestly if he has the money to build the houses. If he does not he should come out and tell us and everyone will accept it. One cannot get blood out of a turnip and one cannot build houses without money,” he added.
The Kerry TD blasted: “The pace at which we are going at these houses is as slow as it took the snail to get to Jerusalem”.
He questioned Minister Murphy’s claim that he plans that he plans to relocate people on urban housing lists to rural areas because, according to Deputy Healy-Rae, the houses are not available to do so.
“Forget about taking people out of Dublin and bringing them down to Kerry because we do not have houses ready for habitation.
“There are vacant houses but they are a long way from getting them ready or making them fit to put people into them. The minister must acknowledge that,” Deputy Healy-Rae added.
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