Please, sir, can we have some more ... money!

A housing estate in Kinsale, which is need of a much-needed upgrade, has been described by one councillor as having ‘the feel of a Charles Dickens novel.’ 

Councillors were united in their call for works to be urgently carried out on Sean Hales Terrace – one of Kinsale’s oldest housing estates – while discussing a housing services report at a Western Committee meeting in County Hall.

Cllr Kevin Murphy (FG) said that a number of estates needed an upgrade, including Sean Hales Terrace, which he said is one of the oldest estates in Kinsale.

‘We started work there and then pulled the plug. It’s a very old and raw estate and I would respectfully suggest that we look at it again as it needs an upgrade big-time,’ said Cllr Murphy.

‘I propose that we treat is as a special case.’

Cllr Gillian Coughlan (FF) agreed that serious work is required at that estate and said it is ‘exceptionally bad’.

‘It would want to be seen before being believed and we should be able to find money somewhere for it,’ said Cllr Coughlan.

Cllr Alan Coleman (Ind) said it very much has the ‘feel of a Charles Dickens novel’ and described it as ‘really dreary.’

However, director of housing Maurice Manning told councillors that the Council understands the circumstances there, but funding is an issue.

‘It is included in a programme, but we don’t have a planned budget to go ahead with a planned maintenance this year,’ he said.