Minister Burke Officially Opens New Homes in Kinnegad

On Tuesday 20th December,  Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Deputy Peter Burke officially opened a recently completed 24 home development, delivered by Tuath Housing Association in partnership with Westmeath County Council, at Kinnegad, in his home county of Westmeath. The official opening was part of a wider set of visits to housing developments by the Minister including stops at Westmeath County Council housing developments in Mullingar and Athlone.

All 24 homes at An Garrán Geal have been allocated by Tuath Housing to people from the Westmeath County Council housing waiting list. The new development consists of 12 x two-bed apartments and 12 x three-bed duplex homes. The new A-rated energy efficient homes have been funded via private finance from the Housing Finance Agency and a loan from the Department of Housing. The average price of a home at An Gárran Geal was €201,775 representing excellent value for money.

Tuath delivered its first homes in partnership with Westmeath County Council in 2009 and has continued working with the local authority to deliver a further 227 homes in the county. Tuath now has over 10,000 homes with over 25,000 tenants nationwide, having delivered homes to a further 1,900 families throughout 2022.

Minister Peter Burke commented “I would like to congratulate Westmeath County Council and Tuath Housing for delivering these quality, secure homes here in Kinnegad. It has been a busy year in the County and we are making real progress on delivering sustainable, high-grade homes for our citizens in Westmeath. The importance of housing on the Government agenda cannot be understated and I am happy to play my part to help deliver on our Housing for All Strategy. I want to take this opportunity to wish each family every happiness for many years to come in your new homes.”

Cllr. Hazel Smyth, Mayor of Mullingar-Kinnegad Municipal District said “In the midst of a housing crisis, it is terrific to see these badly needed additional housing units being opened here in Westmeath. As Mayor of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District, I am acutely aware of the challenges facing people seeking houses and the homelessness crisis. I am hoping that these new homes will form part of a much greater increase in the housing stock and that many more people can enjoy the many benefits of living here in the Lake County. 

Barry O’Leary, CEO of the Housing Finance Agency said “The HFA is proud to have provided financing for these social homes at An Garrán Geal, it’s a pleasure to see them finished and to such a high quality. I want to take this opportunity to wish residents of An Garrán Geal a Merry Christmas and the best of luck in their new homes. The HFA has worked closely with Tuath over the last year and we look forward to a continued partnership, supporting the delivery of more social homes like these in 2023.”

Prof. Paddy Gray, Chair of Tuath’s Voluntary Board of Directors noted “We are delighted to be once again working with Westmeath County Council to provide new social homes in the County. We already manage over 220 homes in the Westmeath area demonstrating the effective working partnership, backed by Government, between Tuath and Westmeath County Council’’.