Shock at level of disrepair in many council houses

A North Mayo councillor has said he is shocked at the poor state of repair of some council-owned homes and believes the local authority would be better off selling rather than repairing them. 

Erris-based Fine Gael Cllr Gerry Coyle told members of the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District at their meeting in December that the council should focus its efforts on building new houses.

“We all got the latest council housing report and the amount of dereliction outlined there, with some of the houses way beyond repair, is shocking. They should be sold back for housing. They are red rotten and it would be cheaper to build new houses than try and repair them. They have just been left there and not used for years. We need to get rid of them and put money back into new homes.” 

Independent Cllr John O’Malley said he was disappointed at the slow pace of funding delivery for vacant homes, stating: “There seems to be nothing for months. People are waiting but there is no funding. 

"We were told a lot of money is being spent on this scheme so is it now that there is not enough? These houses are already there. It is not major work that needs to be done in some, they just have to be cleaned and painted. People are waiting for housing and they could be in by Christmas if these works were done.” 

Cathaoirleach Cllr Sean Carey welcomed the four new council houses in Atlantic View, Belmullet, but said there was a lot more needed and urged the council to speed up the turnaround of its housing stock.

“Tenants have been given these houses [in Atlantic View] and it is a great help but so many more are in need. There is a big requirement. Local authority houses that are vacant, they are not being turned around fast enough. There are two in Bangor waiting a bit of doing up and decoration but nothing is happening. It is such a waste as these houses are there and just a small amount of money could turn them around for letting out again to people. We’ve got extra funding I know for next year but they should be turned around faster.” 

Cllr Coyle added: “The biggest scandal is where a person dies, nothing is done with these houses. There is nothing done.” 

Head of the municipal district, Seamus O'Mongáin, said he would relay councillors’ concerns to the housing section, adding: “We are making every effort to turn around houses as quickly as we can at all times.”