Galway Bay fm newsroom – Galway City Council says it’s pushing forward with the process of buying social housing properties.
New figures show more than half of the country’s local authorities have failed to draw down any funding for such housing so far in 2016.
Only 13 councils across the country accessed money from the Department of Housing between January and the end of June.
All four local authorities in Dublin fall into this category, as well as Cork County and City Council, Limerick City and County Council, Kilkenny County Council and Galway City Council.
Approval has been given for 15 new social houses to be built at Ballymoneen Road in the city.
Work is expected to get underway on that 3 million euro project in the autumn with outline approval for a further 55 houses in the following months.
A spokesperson for the city council says the local authority purchased around 12 properties for social housing in 2015 and hopes to buy a similar amount this year.
However money can only be recouped for properties already purchased and while some purchases are in train, money can’t be drawn down from the government until the properties have been paid for in full by the local authority.