Council should 'appreciate' Mayo's young home builders

Young people seeking to build their own houses in Mayo should be appreciated and supported for wanting to live in the county, according to members of Mayo Co Council.

Councillors made their comments at last week's council meeting when they appealed to management to introduce a waiver on development charges for young individuals and couples who are seeking planning permission to construct homes in Mayo.

“We should exempt them [from charges] as we want young people building their own houses," said Independent Cllr Patsy O'Brien. "We have crippled them as it is, putting so many embargoes on them and tying them into schemes and systems and laying down guidelines and putting down extra costs. We should not be depending on social housing and I compliment those young people who are building their own homes because they are getting no support.” 

Independent Cllr John O’Malley agreed, saying: “To build a house now costs a lot of money. We should be delighted to have young couples that want to build a house. We should be grabbing at them and saying, yes, we will put nothing in your way.

"But people still cannot even get a mortgage. I know couples paying €1,500 rent per month and at the end of several years they have nothing to show for it.” 

Citing property prices of between €340,000 and €400,000 for new houses in Ballinrobe, Cllr Michael Burke added that young couples with an average salary of €100,000 between them simply cannot afford mortgages of €300,000 and are unable to get on the property ladder as a result.

Cllr Gerry Coyle said people should not have to prove they are from an area before getting permission to build a house.

“People baptised in the water in Doohoma and Geesala whose grandfather’s house lies across the road from a site are being asked to prove they are from there. Somebody who never slept a night in Erris should not be asking them to prove they are from there.”

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.