Donegal County Council has been asked to consider buying 20 log cabins to accommodate families from Mica-affected homes.
The cabins would give families somewhere to live while their homes are under repair, Councillor Michael McBride has suggested.
The idea was raised at today’s meeting of the Letterkenny-Milford MD, where councillors noted the lack of housing supply in the region.
Cllr McBride proposed that log cabins could be located at vacant sites in Letterkenny, such as the former Unifi site, the Oatfield Factory site and the former bacon factory site on Pearse Road. The sites, he said, are serviced with water, electricity and sewerage.
Cllr McBride said having residential cabins available would take the stress out of moving for people while their homes are under repair. He acknowledged that housing stock would also be required in the Milford, Inishowen and Stranorlar areas.
“I think it would be a good start and somewhere for people to go, it’s something that could be expanded rapidly if effective and would be cost effective because they could be resold,” Cllr McBride said.
Cllr McBride said the massive issues in the property sector mean that the cost of renting in Letterkenny is €900 on average per month and “that’s a bridge too far”.
The executive acknowledged that the proposal could be one solution as the issue of alternative accommodation for Mica families is considered. The Council’s Mica Redress Committee has
already raised alternative accommodation issues with the Housing Minister.
