Housing legislation needs to change to accommodate growing children, says councillor
A concern was raised at the Dungarvan-Lismore District Council that the need for two bedroom homes may be over-estimated. Stock Image.
Dungarvan councillor Damien Geoghegan has called for legislation to be changed to help the council plan for families growing up.
At the January sitting of the Dungarvan-Lismore District Council, Cllr Geoghegan pointed out that while the current housing need may be for two-bedroom houses, the nature of families is that their needs change over time.
“The legislation should be changed in that regard, and the department should change their approach, and it should look at it differently.
“There is no point in giving someone a two bedroom house and in a couple of years’ time they are coming around and approach us as councillors and say can you help me out here I need a three-bedroom house now they come in speak to the council and they say yes and now you need a transfer to a three bed house that will never materialise, said Cllr Geoghegan.
Cllr Geoghegan was commenting on concerns raised by councillors that recently designed housing developments provide mostly two-bedroom homes.
Waterford City and County Council say that this is because their current assessment shows that it is what is needed in the areas they are building.
But Cllr Geoghegan pointed out that children age.
“I think we are measuring it wrong. The reality is that if someone comes in and they have a boy and a girl, over the age of 12, they qualify for a two-bedroom house.
“Once one of those children reaches the age 12, their need changes to a three-bedroom house, that’s the reality of it.
“So, the demand is showing for 80%, but it changes as families get older. So I think there is always going to be a demand greater than what we are saying for three-bedroom houses, so that’s just the reality of it,” said Cllr Geoghegan.
Both Director of Services (Planning, Corporate, Culture, HR & IS) Ivan Grimes and Senior Architect Walter Holden countered that the assessment is set out in legislation.
They said their “hands are tied”.
“We cannot future-proof. We cannot say they will need their own bedroom in a few years’ time, that is not how the funding works,” said Mr Grimes.
