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‘Impossible unless you are very wealthy’ – Mayor calls for easing of planning rules
‘Impossible unless you are very wealthy’ – Mayor calls for easing of planning rules
Buying or building a house in Killarney has become almost impossible for ordinary workers and families, Mayor of Killarney Cllr John O'Donoghue has warned.
Speaking at Monday's Kerry County Council meeting in Tralee, Cllr O'Donoghue called for urgent clarity on new rural planning guidelines, stating that local residents are being squeezed out of the market entirely.
He pointed out that severe restrictions across the Killarney Municipal District, including three national roads where housebuilding is curtailed and the boundary of the National Park, have severely limited rural planning permissions. At the same time, sky-high property prices in the town centre have priced out workers who do not qualify for social housing but cannot afford local market rates.
Addressing council officials, Cllr O’Donoghue called for an update on how upcoming rural planning guidelines will be interpreted in Kerry:
“These new planning guidelines will affect Kerry more than most counties so it is vital we receive clarity as soon as possible. My own feelings on rural planning are well versed at this stage. Within our own MD in Killarney, house building is very hamstrung by the fact that we have three National Roads on which housebuilding is curtailed, as well as our magnificent National Park. Under the current guidelines, housebuilding is difficult in the countryside, and buying in Killarney is almost impossible unless you are very wealthy.
“The reality in Killarney is that unless you qualify for social housing, or are very wealthy, you can’t buy within the town and you can’t build in the countryside unless you fit a very specific metric leaving you with nowhere to go. I’m not suggesting we have a free for all, but some easing in the guidelines would be very welcome. I’m requesting that as soon as the Council feel they are in a position to do so, that we immediately receive an update on what it will mean for us, and so we can have an input into its interpretation.”
The Mayor pressed the council executive to ensure local representatives have a direct say in how the new national framework is applied locally to help relieve the housing lock-out facing local people.
Pre-planning underway for starter homes
Councillor Maura Healy-Rae raised the issue of affordable housing at Wednesday’s meeting of the Killarney Municipal District.
She submitted a motion asking officials: “To ask Kerry County Council to give an update on providing affordable housing and sites within Killarney MD?”
In response, local authority officials revealed that three separate submissions for Affordable Homes, now officially categorised as Starter Home, were received in the Killarney district following an open call for expressions of interest issued in December 2025.
Council management confirmed that active discussions are taking place with the respective developers involved,
A council official said: “Discussions have been ongoing with the relevant developers in relation to these three proposals, all of which are currently at pre-planning stage. Relevant planning consents will need to be in place before the Council will be in a position to make a submission to the Department for access to the Affordable Housing Fund in respect of these developments.”
Alongside the ongoing development discussions, the local authority outlined administrative preparations currently being undertaken to ensure the scheme can be rolled out efficiently once statutory planning approvals are granted.
Officials noted that work is progressing on wider operational aspects of the Starter Home Scheme in readiness for public advertising, following a formal briefing delivered to commercial lending institutions in July and the engagement of a third-party software provider to construct the online application portal.
Addressing the provision of future housing land, Kerry County Council added that developer proposals submitted under forthcoming open calls for turnkey developments will undergo evaluation via the Croí Cónaithe Serviced Sites: Ready to Build Scheme.
Investigation probing early morning car fire
An investigation is under way following an early morning blaze that destroyed an electric vehicle in Killarney over the weekend.
Emergency services were alerted when a Volkswagen ID Buzz caught fire in the Hillview area of Woodlawn during the early hours of Sunday morning.
Crews from the Killarney Fire and Rescue Service were dispatched to the scene after receiving the emergency call at approximately 4am.
Local eyewitnesses reporting to the Killarney Advertiser described hearing a series of small explosions sounding like gunfire, with large plumes of smoke and flames visible from across the town.
No injuries have been reported, and emergency services have launched an inquiry to determine the cause of the fire.
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