A Kerry councillor has called for more to be done to help those who cannot qualify for social housing nor afford to buy their own house.
Fianna Fáil councillor Mikey Sheehy said there is a cohort of people who are stuck in the middle, who are very hardworking but cannot get housing.
At the recent Tralee MD meeting, Cllr Sheehy asked for an update on the delivery of affordable housing within the wider Tralee area.
Speaking at the meeting, he said Tralee has been an outlier in recent years in the provision of social housing.
He said that there is always a cohort stuck in the middle, individuals or couples who don’t fall within the guidelines to qualify for social housing, and who cannot get on the property ladder by way of a mortgage.
Cllr Sheehy said these are people who are very hardworking, who get out of bed in the morning and do their bit for society.
He said anything the council can do in terms of providing affordable housing is key for these people.
The council’s response said the Department of Housing has been open to considering proposals for affordable housing in Tralee and Killarney since December 2024.
The council has since acquired a strategic site in Tralee, near Na Gaeil GAA field, which it’s anticipated will include provision for affordable housing.
It said lands in the council’s ownership are also being assessed for potential affordable housing delivery.
