Application lodged to build 30 new homes in East Mayo

An application to build 30 new houses in an East Mayo town has been lodged, according to a local election candidate.

Fine Gael candidate Alma Gallagher and Councillor John Cribbin have been working with Mayo County Council and have had numerous site meetings with the housing section and they have confirmed that an application has been submitted to the Department of Housing for 30 additional houses for phase 2 in Abbeyquarter, Ballyhaunis.

Ballyhaunis is one of the fastest growing towns of the Western Region and according to the last Census the population has increased by 14%, three times the county average.

Rents have increased by 14% according to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) in Mayo with an increase of 17% in employment opportunities, Ms Gallagher believes all of these components are escalating the housing crisis in Ballyhaunis.

“Ballyhaunis is in a unique situation in compassion to other towns in the West where we have a transient population keeping the doors open of the factories in the town where the needs are very specific, close to their employment, relatively short term,” Ms Gallagher said.

“Croí Cónaithe has instigated some movement in the private sector where the first floor of commercial abandoned properties are being retrofitted into residential properties.” 

Ms Gallagher says there is a total lack of availability of family homes in Ballyhaunis and she is working with families in crisis.

“One particular family of three, mother, father and a two-year-old girl are to be evicted on Thursday. They have been seeking accommodation for some time but to no avail. I am working with them on their application for social housing but even if they were successful for the housing assistance payment (HAP), there are no properties available.

“I have spoken to the local auctioneers in the town who effectively stated they are providing a social service mediating between the landlord and tenant. Those that are in receipt of HAP are living in fear incase the landlord increases the rent beyond their means or even worse sells the property and evicts them."

The Ballyhaunis native has also been appointed to Mayo County Council’s housing strategic policy committee to represent the Approved Housing Bodies in the Claremorris Electoral area and she hopes going forward approved housing bodies can consolidate their efforts with local authority to increase the supply in housing in the constituency.

“We need to be in a position to cater for the various housing requirements in the locality from home ownership facilitated through initiative such as the first homes scheme, affordable purchase scheme as well as social and local authority housing as well as cost rental,” she concluded.