Elderly residents and people with disabilities in a Co Mayo town may be eligible to live in a new affordable housing scheme which has been opened in Claremorris by the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Renewal, Mr Robert Molloy.
Named The Lawn, the scheme was initiated by the Claremorris and District Integrated Resource Company Ltd, known as Clar IRD. The 25 units were given 90 per cent funding by Mr Molloy's Department, through the voluntary housing capital assistance scheme administered by Mayo County Council.
Demand for the houses, built at a total cost of £1.2 million, has already exceeded supply. Clar IRD's manager, Ms Margaret Leahy, said the residents had already transformed their communal area outside into a "riot of colour". Inside, there is a shared area for laundry, cooking, office needs and social events.
FAS assisted with funding administration and management under its job initiative scheme.
Clar IRD obtained funding from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs for personal alarms for the residents.
The project has already aroused much interest, attracting visits from other groups planning social housing, and it was chosen as one of the sites for this year's Claremorris open art exhibition. A sculpture from last year's exhibition has been installed.
Clar IRD is currently examining the possibility of a second scheme, and its efforts were commended yesterday by Mr Molloy. The homes provide a secure environment, allowing the residents to enjoy independence while removing any sense of isolation and loneliness, he noted.
The Minister of State said his Department's capital assistance scheme, on which over £26 million will be expended this year, was designed to encourage voluntary groups to undertake housing developments in all parts of the country.
It was making a significant contribution to housing older people, the homeless and people with disabilities, he said. The co-operation between voluntary groups and local authorities helped to make the best use of all resources, Mr Molloy added.
Clar IRD has several activity areas. It sponsors a FAS community employment project, and has initiated an enterprise centre for start-up businesses. Last month a branch of country markets was opened to offer a low-risk market and valuable experience to small-scale food producers in the area.
Last September the development group opened a rural bus scheme with Bus Eireann, and it has set up a sub-committee to tackle rural regeneration.
