Locals suffer as holiday homes and Air BnB lets abound in Clare

THE fact the local authority is prohibited from acquiring second hand houses means more and more properties will end up as holiday homes, a meeting of Clare County Council has heard. 

Councillor Cillian Murphy put forward a motion asking that Clare County Council request that counties with large numbers of holiday homes be exempted from an embargo in place on acquiring houses.

He said he knew of a case where a family had been reared in a local authority house.

In recent times when the mother of the family had wanted to move away, she had gone to the Council first as she wanted another generation to have the option that her family had.

However she was told that was not possible, as the the Council have been directed to focus on the construction of homes, and that there is a country wide embargo, with only 200 houses per annum to be purchased.

Councillor Murphy said that in west Clare the houses in some local authority estates are now becoming holiday homes.

“In one local authority estate, nine of the 22 houses are being used as holiday homes.”

He said that currently four local authority properties are on sale in Kilkee and all will end up as holiday homes.

County Council CEO Pat Dowling said that the acquisition of houses had been commonplace for the local authoirty.

“It has always been an important tool in our toolbox around housing.”

He said that even a few years ago Clare County Council were acquiring around 150 houses per annum and that a relaxation of the embargo would be welcome.

Councillor Liam Grant also brought another motion on housing before the meeting, and during the course of the debate he said the lack of accommodation is very acute in north Clare. “It’s no surprise as there are 200 homes in Ennistymon on AirBnB and zero for rent on Daft.”

He claimed that there is a need for “drastic action” regarding housing now.

Councillor Grant was surprised to learn from a Council report that no part of Clare is a rent pressure zone, and Council officials explained the designation or otherwise is down to regulations made by Government.

The Green councillor said young people had made a lot of sacrifices during the pandemic, and now older people should make sacrifices, by putting their holiday homes or AirBnB properties up for long term rental.

By Owen Ryan