Renewed call for flexibility on log cabins in Laois

The council were again called upon to allow people permission to live in log cabins. 

Sinn Fein Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley said she knew plenty of people living in log cabins. 

“They are there temporarily for maybe five years plus to try and save up the money so they can build their own homes,” she said. 

She said planning regulations had been “turned on their head” to try and accommodate others. 

“We have to make provisions for people in log cabins. We have to have some sort of flexibility,” Cllr Stanley said. 

“These people will eventually build on their own sites. They can’t go and privately rent for €1,200 or €1,400 and save as well to build their own house,” she said. 

“Going around on my rounds you can see caravans popping up in the backyards of everybodies property. We will have to face that reality, it is a housing crisis we are in,” said Cllr Dwane Stanley. 

She said the council has to be flexible with people and to give them a chance to gather up a deposit to get a mortgage. She said the issue has to come back before the council for consideration. 

Independent Cllr James Kelly insisted the council needed to move on the issue.

“Housing is a major issue as always,” Cllr Kelly said at the latest meeting of Laois County Council. 

“Log cabins. The need for this council to look at that as an alternative because we are speaking about the amount of people who are entering this country who we are trying to house but also we have a long housing waiting list,” said Cllr Kelly.

He said he couldn’t ”for the life of me understand how the government can initiate emergency planning” for people on the council housing list for modular housing. 

“It is all in the news today about the average cost of a three bedroom semi detached house which is up around €305,000, in Offaly €215,000 in Laois €265,000,” he said. 

He pointed out that the affordable housing scheme was for first time buyers and said on max gross per household of €64,000 it would be very hard for anybody to get into that system. 

Independent Cllr Ollie Clooney said “it is not ideal log cabins but at least if some or a couple can get up a log cabin at least they won’t be at the mercy of a landlord.” 

“If they do get a log cabin in a few years they might be able to afford  a house,” he said. 

Independent Cllr Aisling Moran agreed with the councillors. 

“We are in a housing crisis and we are going to have to start helping people here,” she said.  

Director of Services Angela McEvoy said the Strategic Policy Committee(SPC) had met a fortnight earlier to discuss log cabins.

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She said they hoped to have something to bring before the council for consideration before the end of the year.