A local councillor says that security is needed in a certain Dungarvan housing estate, as opposed to leaving a number of homes lying idle with the county in the grips of a housing crisis.
Cllr. Séamus O’Donnell made his feelings known on long standing issues of anti social behaviour at the May meeting of the Dungarvan / Lismore District of Waterford City & County Council.
“There was €1m spent on an estate here in Dungarvan not too long ago”, Cllr. O’Donnell explained. “I drove in and around that locality last week, and would you believe it, it would take another million to get it right now again. What is gone wrong that there is four or five houses in that estate and no one will go into them?”, he queried.
“What’s gone wrong? There’s something gone wrong somewhere”, conceded the Independent Councillor. “There’s another estate out further and they’re looking for transfers. They don’t want to stay in that estate because there’s racket going on every night. Music, out jiving and dancing and you name it! There’s no Council can put up with the like of that. Either we take a decision in the Council to fill them houses that’s idle, or put security people in there to make sure everything goes right.”
Cllr. O’Donnell says it’s not right that people are behaving like this and homes are lying empty as a result, given that no one wants to live in the vicinity of such recklessness.
“I passed up there one night about 1.30, and every door in the place was wide open. There was racket going on everywhere. If you were living near them, you’d be coming out with a gun”, he claimed.
“There’s too much money spent, there’s people in Dungarvan with no houses. I know one man living in a house with nine years that he can’t even heat because he can’t afford it. In the morning, he goes out and heats himself in the car. Is that on?”.
