Empty HSE bungalows “a scandal” slams Kilcoyne

Up to eleven bungalows on the HSE Aras Attracta campus in Swinford have been lying idle for the last fifteen or sixteen years, according to Mayo County Councillor Michael Kilcoyne, who said such a thing happening at a time when the country is in a housing crisis is a scandal.

A detailed list of HSE properties in Mayo was outlined to members at the November meeting of the regional HSE West North West forum on Tuesday last, showing a total of 19 vacant properties as well as three additional vacant properties being held as retained assets. Four of the properties were stated to be in a process of disposal by the HSE, namely Aughleam Health Centre; Hill House, Castlebar; O’Hara Home, Kiltimagh and Shrule Health Centre.

Cllr Kilcoyne stated: “We have almost 200 people in emergency accommodation but the HSE has substantial properties that are closed or at least not in use, some going back to 2010. That’s fifteen, coming sixteen years. Surely that’s not acceptable with the government talking about sorting out the housing issue.” 

Niall Colleary, Assistant National Director of HSE Capital and Estates, told Cllr Kilcoyne that in relation to the Aras Attracta campus in Swinford, it was part of the whole de-congregation process to provide residential care from the campus into the community. "It obviously leaves properties and infrastructure there no longer being used,” said Collerary, who added that a review must be carried out as part of a whole integrated care regional structure and the HSE will have to ascertain what is the best use for the properties.

“A lot of those will need upgrades and extensions and we have to look at value for money also,” said Colleary. “We hope to be in a position next year of having that study concluded and then know what we will dispose of and what we will retain.” 

He said the process around moving on any empty properties would be to offer them first to the Land Development Agency, “and if it has no interest, then to other state bodies, and if not that, then the open market. That is the process.” 

Cllr Kilcoyne remarked: “If this was only one or two buildings it would be okay but the state is paying out millions in homeless accommodation in Mayo and yet the same state paid for the building of not just Aras Attracta but several other properties on this list and they are left there idle. Yet we pay people in the private sector to provide emergency accommodation out of the same purse. This is a scandal. The controller and auditor general should be made aware of this.” 

Regional Executive Officer for HSE West North West, Tony Canavan, told Cllr Kilcoyne that de-congregation of Aras Attracta actually took place post 2014 and most of it post 2018, “So while some properties were vacant, they were on a campus that was still providing services so could not have been disposed of.”