Power to allocate housing must rest with Mayo County Council

Members of the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District (MD) believe that Mayo County Council must be allowed to allocate social housing on a case-by-case basis.

Fine Gael Cllr Gerry Coyle told the recent meeting of the MD that it needs to go back to the old system of allocating social housing.

“It used to be that you could have a job [to get a house] and allocation depended on need. It might be that you couldn’t afford housing even though you were working. The council used to be fully in charge, but then the Department (of Housing) took over."

Cllr Coyle proposed that the council take back charge of housing allocation in Mayo.

"I think people would like to deal with people who are living on the ground. The housing person on the ground who knows a family in need. I know someone who has a job but he cannot get a mortgage and cannot get a council house.

Cllr Christy Hyland seconded the proposal, saying they should “get rid of the income band altogether” and take each case “on its merits”.

Cllr John O’Malley said he knows a person who was diagnosed with a terminal illness and cannot work, but because they were working last year, they are not allowed to get on a housing scheme.

“They will have to pay €1,300-1,400 a month to rent a private property,” Cllr O’Malley said.