'We're aware of the challenges facing families': City Council insists it will keep pace with housing demand in Cork

CORK City Council is confident it can keep pace with the demand for housing up to 2026.

City Hall director of services Niall Ó Donnabháin told the council that it is committed to delivering on an almost 4,000-unit target up to 2026, with 2,839 units having been built in the five-year period to 2022.

“We are very aware of where our numbers are at in terms of social housing presentations, with the lifting of the thresholds, and that has obviously increased the number of applications,” said Mr Ó Donnabháin.

“No one is dismissing the seriousness of the issues, the challenges that are facing certain families out there, and kids and single people, but our offices will always be open to provide a service within our authority, but also as a guidance to identify alternative solutions.”

Mr Ó Donnabháin’s comments came as a protest led by the Cork Cost of Living Campaign took place outside City Hall which heard calls for the reinstatement of the Government’s temporary ban on no-fault evictions.

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Details were provided to the council meeting on notices of termination data. Of 50,499 tenancies in the city registered with the Residential Tenancies Board, 0.9%, or 144 tenancies, have been issued with a valid notice to quit.

The total verified number of notices of termination in Cork City and county totals 336 tenancies. Of 2,956 HAP and RAS tenancies in Cork City, 64 were issued with valid terminations, which equates to 2% of Cork City’s qualified social housing applicants.

Under the social housing plan, the target is 3,934 social and affordable homes, and out of that, 729 homes are being delivered. The current pipeline to 2026 is 1,962 homes, with proposals under consideration to 2026 at 775 homes, the meeting heard.

Fianna Fáil councillor Tony Fitzgerald said the council’s record in social housing delivery from 2017 to 2022 is 2,839 homes delivered.

Cork City Council are aware that households in the Cork City area who have received a Notice of Termination from their landlord, are worried or unsure of what to do next

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Some 1,151 homes are under construction across 32 sites. Currently, “at post-planning design and pre-tender, 332 homes, and going through the current planning process, there are 45 homes with 190 homes in pre-planning,” said Mr Fitzgerald.

Progress in the affordable and cost-rental pipeline were also highlighted. These showed 320 units developed and in development across six sites across 105 cost-rental units.

Some 412 units are due to be available through 2023, showing “significant uplift on the 2022 returns”. 

Mr Fitzgerald said a dedicated email, tenantinsitu@corkcity.ie, has been set up for people with queries on tenants in situ.