'The housing issue in Offaly seems insurmountable' - urgent action demanded by councillors

The proposed scheme of priority for the purchase of affordable homes in Offaly has been approved by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, it has been confirmed. 

The purpose of the scheme is to set out the manner in which Affordable Dwelling Purchasing Agreements are to be entered into by the local authority and the methodology that will be applied to determine the order of priority. 

The priority will be accorded to eligible households within the county where the demand for such arrangements exceeds the number of dwellings available. 

The approval of the scheme by Minister James Browne prompted a discussion at the October meeting of Offaly County Council where councillors raised their concerns in relation to the current housing crisis across the county. 

Cathaoirleach John Leahy showed his support for the scheme. He commented that "house prices in Tullamore have spiralled out of control" and are beyond the reach of many people.

"People who have finished college are not able to afford their own home, it's important for the council to give people a leg up on the housing ladder," he stated. 

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Cllr Sean Maher said he was wary of the new plans. "They should remove the term 'affordable' given the prices of the houses," he stated, pointing out that buyers remain frustrated with the options for housing in the county. 

The size of the task facing the council was highlighted by Cllr Aoife Masterson who explained: "The housing issue in Offaly seems insurmountable given the resources we have."

Cllr Declan Harvey agreed saying: "The toughest job in the council is housing." Cllr Harvey added that he would like to see more retrofitting. 

Elected members were told there are currently no properties available in Offaly under the scheme and that any future affordable housing schemes to be progressed by the council will be advertised separately.

When schemes are rolled out, a formal application process will apply in accordance with legislation. 

During the October meeting, members received an update on the current situation within the council's administrative area. To date in 2025, €2.5m has been issued in housing grants. Offaly County Council's housing stock stood at 2,222 at the end of September 2025 following the delivery of 61 additional local authority homes.

Cllr Sean O' Brien praised the allocation of €2.5million saying it is "absolutely fantastic".

Elected members were told that private developers are being tasked with providing more housing but councillors said that smaller villages must be prioritised with the Cathaoirleach, Cllr John Leahy, stating: "People in Shinrone, Moneygall and Belmont need houses, I tried to get private developers to come in to build houses and they won't do it".  

The Cathaoirleach concluded the matter by insisting that the council must work fully in unison to tackle the problems going forward and keep constituents informed.