Review to study housing for people with special needs

Arklow Town Council will audit current and planned housing stocks to ensure there is sufficient housing available for people with special needs.

Cllr Sylvester Bourke proposed a notice of motion and last week's meeting calling for the review of Arklow's social housing policy.

Cllr Bourke said a review was important given a recent ruling against Fingal County Council by the children's ombudsman for failing to provide adequate social housing for people with special needs.

He said people may have been offered an inappropriate council-provided house in the past, but, after rejecting it, may have been 'put on the long finger'.

Town clerk Des Nichols said the council was currently auditing its housing stocks but said social housing schemes soon to be constructed in Arklow had good provisions for people with special needs.

'It is the intention of the council that there are houses there that are capable of being adopted by applicants with special needs and people with children with special needs.'

Wicklow People 22/2/2007