“The cart doesn’t pull the horse” - infrastructure not there for new houses

People living with an inadequate water supply and other infrastructure problems will further suffer if new houses are built without the issues being addressed.

That is according to Cllr Donal Mandy Kelly (FF) who raised his concerns at a special meeting held by Donegal Council on the subject of social housing. 

Cllr Kelly welcomed plans for social housing in the Ballymacool area of Letterkenny,

But he expressed grave concern about existing infrastructural inadequacies, particularly in relation to water supply.

“The cart never pulled the horse, the horse pulls the cart,” said Cllr Kelly,

“To go forward now without  infrastructure will only be adding more stress to the residents out here.”

He spoke of receiving calls throughout the Christmas period from residents who had no water.

“I am sick to the teeth and so are the residents,” he said. “The reservoir at Rahan is too small as it is.

“I am calling on Donegal County Council to put as much pressure on Uisce Eireann as it takes to ensure that these works start as soon as possible.”

Cllr Kelly also raised concern about the absence of plans for housing in Glenswilly, Newmills and surrounding areas.

“It is all well and good taking people into the heart of the town but there are some people born and reared in the heart of the countryside and they want to stay there .

“Going forward we have to focus on people who want to stay in rural areas.”

He called for more one-off rural homes, known as SI houses, to be built, saying he was frequently asked about them.

“The council are telling us SI houses are there,” said Cllr Kelly. “Where are they being built?”

He called for urgent attention to be given to preparing an area infrastructurally, and for housing construction to then get underway without delay.

“Lets see diggers on the ground and blocks being put on top of each other as soon as possible,” he said.