Duffy calls on Minister to create fund to repair pyrite estates

Councillors in Ballina are to bring a combined notice of motion before the next meeting of Mayo County Council calling on the Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien and Junior Minister Alan Dillon to create a fund for local authorities to address the repair of walls in pyrite-impacted estates.

Independent Cllr Mark Duffy brought the original motion before last week’s meeting of the Ballina Municipal District calling for the Minister and Junior Minister to address this issue.

Cllr Duffy said boundary walls within estates are causing particular concern as many of them are on public roads, footpaths and adjoining back gardens.

“Pyrite has been a curse to all householders who have been affected. Boundary walls are not addressed in any of the schemes so far and the condition of them is causing so much fear," Cllr Duffy said.

His motion was seconded by Fine Gael Cllr John O’Hara.

“You can push the walls and they’d come down, they are that loose,” he said. “It is going to cost someone at some point, someone is going to get killed.”

All six councillors agreed they should bring this motion to the next main meeting as it is also relevant to other municipal districts in Mayo.