A new National Policy designed to increase the delivery of housing for older people is due to be completed by the end of May.
This follows the news that Fine Gael’s Minister for Older People, Kieran O’Donnell TD, has set up a working group in the Department of Housing to identify a list of actions which would best support the initiative.
Some areas the group will investigate include:
– Flexibility on planning rules to allow for a home to be adapted or extended to include a separate self-contained kitchen and living quarters to suit the changing needs of an older person.
– Asking lenders to look at bridging finance for older people to rightsize where they would not normally be approved for a mortgage but want to buy a more suitable home for their needs before the sale of their existing home has concluded.
– Mandate local authorities to find suitable sites for housing specifically designed for older adults, ensuring accessible options within local communities, including brownfield sites.
Laois Fine Gael TD Willie Aird said the new National Policy would “ensure older people in County Laois have appropriate housing to suit their needs.”
Deputy Aird added: “Irish people are living longer and we want to make it easier for people to continue to live at home as they grow older, including adapting their existing homes.
“But we also know that this may not always be the older person’s preferred option and we need to look at ways of helping people with preferred their choice.”
Housing for older people has been a hot topic as of late, with The Irish Independent recently reporting that certain planning rules are to be relaxed “as part of the Government’s new drive to encourage older people to move to smaller properties.”
This was cited as an effort on the Government’s part “to ease the housing crisis and make the most of existing housing stock.”
SEE ALSO – The full list of properties sold in Laois during March as house prices continue to rise year-on-year
