Thousands on council waiting list in Donegal as concerns over housing crisis in county deepen

There are thousands of families and individuals on housing waiting lists in the county.

And as Donegal becomes an increasingly popular destination, there is more demand for holiday home purchase and letting. Increased tourist numbers are good for the county on the whole, and play a huge part in the local economy.

However for a young family renting a home - either long-term or while they save money to buy a house - the outlook is not so favourable, particularly in areas popular with visitors.

According to Donegal County Council, there are 2,681 families or individuals on the housing list in Donegal at present. The Municipal District (MD) of Donegal has a waiting list of 410, with 214 in Glenties MD, 318 in the Stranorlar MD, 646 in the Inishowen MD. As one would expect, the greatest demand is in Letterkenny MD where there are 1093 people on the housing waiting list. 

These figures include households in private rental accommodation in receipt of housing support who have applied to be considered for a council property. They also include tenants of existing council houses who are looking for a transfer, for example if a house no longer meets their needs due to increased family size.

As recently highlighted at a meeting of Donegal MD, there is significant anecdotal evidence that the number of homes available for medium to long term rent has dropped sharply. This is due to the more lucrative option of holiday lets which for those with homes to rent, can be easily managed through a range of international online agencies. 

The slowdown in construction has also meant that there are few new homes coming on stream.

The Covid-19 pandemic has played a major part in the increased demand for self-catering properties in Ireland. Many people who would previously have preferred hotel stays or foreign sun holidays have come to appreciate the merits of a holiday home staycation. The main attraction in light of the pandemic is that the space does not have to be shared with anyone outside of the family bubble. 

And after a tough year for the economy, no-one can begrudge the property owners from making money where they can. 

However, there are fears that increased demand will also push up the buying prices of homes, meaning there will be an even greater housing crisis down the line. This is already happening in destination towns around Ireland. Kinsale in Cork was highlighted a few years ago as being so popular as a holiday destination that locals were being forced out because they couldn’t afford to buy or rent homes.

There is a danger of this happening in parts of  Donegal too.

Donegal County Council has plans for a number of developments, and has a number of schemes to secure property in other ways, but will it be enough?

It is hoped that when construction returns to full swing, more homes will be available and the pressure will ease. But there is no guarantee that the current housing shortage is temporary. This is a situation that will have to be monitored closely to ensure that everyone who needs a home can find somewhere to live.