A special meeting on housing delivery in County Wexford brought together local councillors and senior officials from Wexford County Council to address one of the region’s most pressing issues: the supply of social and affordable housing.
Councillor Ger Carthy, who chaired the meeting, stressed that while not all councillors could attend, housing remains a top priority for elected members. He acknowledged ongoing efforts by the council’s executive team and said he’s confident in their commitment to delivering more homes, despite obstacles such as delays with Uisce Éireann and utility providers like ESB.
“We’ve spent a lot of time discussing housing,” Cllr Carthy said. “There are roadblocks, but I believe we’re starting to pick up pace. Meetings like this should happen regularly to keep progress on track.”
The Chief Executive of Wexford County Council Eddie Taaffe outlined several key takeaways:
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Housing Targets: The council aims to exceed its government-set target of 1,150 social homes by delivering 1,500 by 2026. Although no official target was set for affordable housing, 60 units are already in the pipeline.
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Unit Sizes: Around 60% of planned homes will be one- and two-bedroom units to better match current housing needs.
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Land Availability and Costs: A shortage of serviced land and rising prices when the council shows interest is an issue. To address this, the council will begin using Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) to secure land at fair market value.
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Affordable Housing Expansion: Projects are underway in Ramsfort (Gorey), Enniscorthy, and Wexford Town, with additional mixed-tenure developments planned in New Ross and other key areas.
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Supporting Rural Towns and Villages: The council is looking at “serviced sites schemes” to allow people to build homes in smaller towns, helping to revive rural communities and support local services like schools and post offices.
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Water Infrastructure Challenges: Only Gorey and Wexford are currently prioritised for major water infrastructure investment by Uisce Éireann. The council is lobbying to expand this capacity to more areas like Ferns and Camolin.
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Right-Sizing for Older Residents: More one-and two-bedroom homes, including semi-sheltered options, are planned to help older people move into homes that better suit their needs without having to relocate far.
Currently, over 1,500 households are on the council’s social housing list, with another 1,200 seeking transfers, representing around 6,000 people in total.
