Housing fast-track scheme a flop in Mayo and elsewhere

by Auld Stock

THE government’s fast-track house building scheme was introduced five years ago.

We were told it would go a fair way towards eradicating long waiting lists.

Only one-third of the planning permissions granted have ended up in houses being built.

That’s the sum total of a project designed as a cure-all for the Republic’s serious housing problems.

So why did the much-vaunted house scheme fall asunder?

Much of the fault lies with planning permissions which seem to be frozen in time.

Surely legislation should be introduced whereby planning permissions must be acted on within a reasonable time.