THERE are 2,003 households on the housing and transfer waiting lists in the Western Division of Cork County Council, a report has shown.

At a recent meeting, the director of services for housing, Keith Jones, revealed that there are 619 approved households, which are not in receipt of State support, and a further 1,384 households that have been approved for transfer, including those who are receiving support through HAP, the Housing Assistance Payment.

In his bi-monthly report to the council members, Mr Jones also explained that 202 applications for housing have been received so far this year.

Four homes at Cúl na Gréine in Bandon attracted 463 expressions of interest, one house in Leap drew 224 expressions of interest, while other homes in Bantry, Dunmanway and Kinsale attracted between 159 and 329 expressions of interest.

Cllr Ann Bambury (SD) said the latest housing report highlights ‘welcome progress in the delivery of new homes across West Cork, Bandon and Kinsale’.

However, she said the scale of demand clearly demonstrates that a significant increase in funding is required if the government is serious about tackling the housing crisis.

She highlighted the level of demand for each housing unit saying: ‘There were 809 expressions of interest from families for just 11 social homes advertised through the Choice Based Lettings (CBL) system in Bandon during May and June, with almost 3,207 views on those properties alone.

And there were 2,080 expressions of interest and 9,377 views on just 14 properties in West Cork for the same period.

‘These aren’t just statistics,’ she said, ‘they represent hundreds of individuals and families desperately searching for somewhere to call home.’

Cllr Bambury said the figures expose the continuing gap between housing delivery and housing need.

She highlighted that Bandon is now the third fastest growing town in County Cork and the largest town in West Cork, warning that population growth cannot continue without matching investment in essential services.

‘We cannot keep building houses without building communities. Homes must be accompanied by schools, GP services, childcare places, transport links, recreational facilities and the public infrastructure that allows communities to thrive. Otherwise we are simply storing up problems for the future,’ she added.

‘The demand is there. The need is obvious. The response now has to match it.’

Her colleague, Cllr Isobel Towse  pointed out that there are five households in homeless emergency accommodation in West Cork for between six and 12 months.

The housing director informed the members that the council assisted with 31 homeless preventions, and that eight applicants moved from homelessness to HAP.

Cllr Towse said the local authority needs to prioritise families.

‘I won’t give details of an individual case, but I’ve had a lot of contact with someone who has been in homeless accommodation for nearly nine months, and whose children have recently all been diagnosed with developmental delays,’ she said.

‘We know the impact that homelessness has on children, causing chronic health issues and developmental delays, sometimes having a lifelong impact on children’s physical and mental health,’ she added, ‘so I am asking please, please, please can those with children be prioritised for allocations.’

Cllr Finbarr Harrington (Ind) suggested that the ‘above the shop’ grant scheme for renovations is too limiting because it precludes businesses from applying for funding.

‘That rules out a lot of properties in West Cork,’ said the councillor, who suggested the time had come to have the rules changed because ‘it would bring a lot of properties back into use.’