A Mayo councillor fears for the safety of the public if action is not taken on up to 12 vacant council houses in Erris that are affected by pyrite.
Fine Gael councillor Gerry Coyle said that approximately 12 council houses impacted by pyrite are lying vacant.
“There are at least 10 houses ready to be knocked and rebuilt, which is what should be done, and get people back living in them,” he told a meeting of Mayo County Council.
Cllr Coyle said if the houses continue to lie vacant they could become a magnet for young people and he feared an accident could occur at one of the properties.
“They are going to fall down on top of somebody,” he warned.
Director of Services Tom Gilligan said the council’s housing department is looking to develop a scheme for social houses affected by pyrite.
Council houses in Erris were among the first in the county to be identified for pyrite damage.
“Nothing has been done,” said Cllr Coyle.
He said sticking plaster measures are not enough.
“Money will be spent on fencing instead of rebuilding them,” Cllr Coyle stated.
Mayo remains in the grip of a housing crisis with pyrite-impacted homeowners caught in the maelstrom of high building costs and a lack of alternative properties.
The Government outlined plans in 2021 for a redress scheme targeted at the cost of rebuilding homes affected by mica and pyrite.
However, campaigners have argued that the scheme falls short of adequately covering the costs facing impacted homeowners.
