Estate worth €15m in 2021 has now 'become worthless'

The chief executive of Mayo Co Council has been accused of "throwing council officials under the bus" by not attending a recent Westport-Belmullet Municipal District meeting.

Over 15 residents from Páirc na Coille, Golf Course Road, Westport attended last week’s special meeting to discuss the ongoing pyrite issue at the housing estate. A total of 32 homes at the council estate, which was built in 2003, are contaminated by pyrite, with the first being demolished last month.

In an email to councillors, chief executive Kevin Kelly outlined the general background to the Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme (DCBS) in Mayo. Mr Kelly said the situation at Páirc na Coille first came to light in June 2017 when one homeowner contacted the council but there were "no records" of correspondence between the council and the homeowner at the time. Despite the council being made aware of the pyrite problem, several homes were sold in the estate after 2017, with the most recent purchased in December 2021.

Some 32 out of 54 households in Pairc na Coille have applied for the DCBS. Mr Kelly says this implies that “not all units in the housing development are impacted by pyrite”. He said that in 2003, the council handled all matters relating to the selection of purchasers, the sale of houses to them and the mortgage arrangements.

“Although this is an affordable housing scheme with units purchased by individuals at a reduced value and perhaps with a loan provided by Mayo Co Council, this is still a private housing development,” Mr Kelly wrote. He also said the council made €71,939 in “clawbacks” from the sale of four units since 2017.

Fine Gael Cllr Gerry Coyle said he met with a resident in 2015 whose home was showing cracks in the wall. There were no tests done at the time, but seeing many of the properties that were affected in the Erris area, he knew it was pyrite. He also observed the same damage at the community centre.

Cllr Peter Flynn said it was “news to him” that the issue went back to 2015 as the council said it first became aware in 2017. However, Cllr Coyle’s claims refute that contention. He said the housing estate was worth €15m at the end of 2021, but has since become worthless. He said the council cannot just “wash their hands of it".

Cllr Hyland asked the Director of Housing, Tom Gilligan, whether the council has equity in Páirc na Coille. Mr Gilligan declined to answer the question.

Cllr John O’Malley asked why the council chose not to inform the residents that pyrite was discovered in 2017.

Cllr Brendan Mulroy said planning permission was given to a house in 2021 that mentioned pyrite in the notice.

Cllr Flynn proposed that the four local TDs be invited to their next meeting and that they seek expert legal advice. Cllr Hyland said he also wants clarity on the structure of ownership in an affordable housing scheme.