Posted online: Aug 10th, 2010

Buncrana Town Councillor Joe Doherty has urged those currently waiting on a local authority home to be aware that two refusals will lead to them being placed at the bottom of the housing list.

At the recent Buncrana Town Council meeting, Cllr Doherty complimented officials on the amount of houses they had at the present time which were being refurbished and reinstated for letting and also praised them for the amount of units the Council was buying, stating it meant “more people have the opportunity to avail of local authority houses.”

He also enquired what the Council’s position was regarding homes being refused.

Town Clerk Seamus Canning revealed people may refuse an offer of a home once, but a second refusal would result in them being placed at the bottom of the housing list.

Speaking to the “Inish Times,” Cllr Doherty said it was important people were “aware of this.”

He said: “There are certainly people at the present time waiting on the opportunity to be offered a house and sometimes for certain reasons that doesn’t happen for a while and I can’t understand people who refuse the offer of a house twice.

“If those who are offered the homes feel they are going to refuse it beforehand, take yourself off the housing list so those who would appreciate a house have a better chance.

“All I want is that everyone who makes an application to Buncrana Town Council for a home is playing on a pitch that is level for all.”