A COUNTY councillor has claimed some council tenants are living in squalid conditions because of a lack of money to fix their properties.
An emotional Marie Therese Gallagher told a council meeting that she had visited a mother who lived with three children in one property where “damp was dripping down the walls.”
She was speaking on a motion she put forward to the council calling for a ‘fair and adequate housing policy’ which would ensure grants for refurbishments and tenants issued with handbooks.
A number of councillors spoke about how some tenants’ homes were inadequate and in need of repair.
“But it appears we don’t have the money to do this work,” said Cllr Gallagher.
“My fear is that there is a central government policy to take money away from social housing provided by councils so that these homes end up in the private sector,” said the Sinn Fein councillor.
She said Donegal County Council should fight to retain control of local social housing and resist ‘any attempts at privatisation.’
Cllr Paul Canning (Fianna Fail) also had a motion before the council on housing, asking that when allocating homes the council make provision for people who are willing to fix or tidy up vacant homes.