Nine-house scheme in Mayo took seven years to complete

Councillors in Castlebar Municipal District have criticised the slow delivery of social housing.

They made their comments to coincide with the seventh anniversary of the start of a nine-house project in Carnacon. The project is only now being completed.

Cllr Al McDonnell said he had serious problems with the delay in the delivery of social housing, citing the Carnacon project as a perfect example.

“The first on-site inspections in Carnacon took place in 2018, seven years and two months ago. Mayo County Council are not primarily to blame for this but approval is sought from civil servants in Dublin every step of the way and often several months pass by without a reply from Dublin,” he said.

“Those houses were needed seven years ago. They are nearly finished and they look fantastic but it shouldn’t have taken this long.” 

Cllr McDonnell called for decisions on housing to be decentralised to municipal districts, a view echoed by Cllr Blackie Gavin who said Mayo Co Council's "central housing" unit in Swinford handles all matters.

"Castlebar MD should be our own housing authority like in the old days."

Cllr Michael Kilcoyne said the prolonged development in Chestnut Grove of eight social houses, which the council took over from an approved housing body, is another example of the lack of urgency in delivering social housing.

“We were told Chestnut Grove would be ready by Q1 2025 and we’re now halfway through Q2.”

Cllr Harry Barrett said he was also hoping to see more movement on the ongoing Ellison Street regeneration plans to convert old derelict buildings into apartments.