Meeting adjourned after heated debate over pyrite-hit Westport homes
The vast majority of homes at Pairc na Coille, Westport have tested positive for the presence of pyrite. Picture: Google Maps
A meeting of the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District was adjourned after just 40 minutes following a dispute between Cllr Christy Hyland and the Director of Services for Housing with Mayo County Council over pyrite-impacted houses in the Westport area.
Standing orders at the meeting had been suspended at the request of Cllr Peter Flynn to discuss 45 pyrite-damaged homes in the Pairc na Coille estate in Westport.
Cllr Flynn said that it had come to light in recent weeks that Mayo County Council had been made aware of pyrite issues in a house in the area as far as back as June 13, 2017. So far, the majority of houses in the estate have tested positively for the presence of pyrite.
He said this could have potential implications for the local authority as Pairc na Coille was an affordable housing scheme developed in 2004 in conjunction with Mayo County Council. As a result, Mayo County Council would receive claw back payments every time one of these houses was sold.
“All of these houses were built at the same time. If there were pyrite issues in one house, it was likely to be in all of them and that is likely to be the case.”
"Since 2017, houses in this estate have been sold for between €250,000 and €295,000. It is impossible to understand why we didn’t send out the warnings.”
“Mayo County Council profited on these houses, if the pyrite issues were known in 2017, the values would have plummeted.” He requested that a report be compiled regarding Pairc na Coille and presented at a special meeting of the MD to take place on December 12 next and this was agreed upon by councillors.
Cllr John O’Malley said that councillors should have been made aware of these issues as soon as possible. Cllr Brendan Mulroy said that the people in these houses are struggling and need support now.
“These people in these 45 houses are living as prisoners in their own minds at the moment,” he said.
Cllr Christy Hyland stood up and asked Director of Housing Tom Gilligan and Director of Services for the MD Catherine McConnell if an elected member of Mayo County Council had been sent by the Council to look at suspected pyrite in a Pairc na Coille house in June 2017, adding that he was not referring to any of the current Westport area councillors.
He added that no one from Mayo County Council was willing to take responsibility for this situation.
“All you have to do is put it right, put your hands up and say mistakes were there,” he said.
Mr Gilligan said that Cllr Hyland’s behaviour was not appropriate and he did not appreciate his ‘show of anger.’
“It is not appropriate to show agitation to the officials, there is no point answering your questions. Decorum is needed in meetings.”
“Standing up, shouting and banging tables. I find it disrespectful.” Ms McConnell said it had already been agreed to discuss these issues at the upcoming special meeting.
Cllr Mulroy said that Cllr Hyland was acting the way that all four Westport councillors felt about this issue. He said it would be appropriate to adjourn the meeting and proposed taking up the agenda following the upcoming special meeting.
