The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
THE Council has been requested to examine ways to make the housing waiting list and application procedure more user friendly for people not familiar with the system.
The request was made via a motion at the March meeting of Clare County Council from Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat McMahon
A written reply from the Council’s social directorate set out what is being done to accomplish that. “Application forms for housing support are widely available with the form itself available on the website and in the offices of Clare County Council.
“Explanation material is also available in plain English to assist those with literacy issues in the completion of the form.
“The form is a national template and can only be locally amended to include areas of choice relevant to County Clare.
“Staff of the Council are available to support applicants in the completion of the housing application form. In addition, Citizens Information and MABS provide support to many who are seeking access to housing in Clare.”
The reply stated it is intended to roll out local workshops for approved housing applicants on Choice Based Letting.
This was the intent pre-COVID however restrictions prevented such workshops. In the interim staff are available to support users who request support in the use or access to CBL.
Independent Councillor Gerry Flynn said that it would be important that the housing options workshops are on the road again.
He also said he had issues with CBL, which he said he does not support. While he said that it is “useful in certain circumstances”, he also said it “should not be the only tool in the box”.
Fine Gael’s Johnny Flynn said he didn’t agree with closing the public desk at lunchtime, which he says limits access for the public.
He also said that CBL requires too much engagement with the process and that people lose out on opportunities.
Councillor Pat Daly said that CBL is something that has been brought in at national rather than local level. “It’s there, there’s nothing we can do about it,” he said.
Cathaoirleach PJ Ryan said one of the issues with CBL is that people don’t get told that they have not succeeded in getting a house.
Owen Ryan
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked for a number of other regional titles in Limerick, Galway and Cork.
