Tempers flare over plans for landmark Castlebar site

It could have been the hot weather or perhaps blame the technology. Either way, tempers flared at the September meeting of Castlebar Municipal District (MD) on Wednesday last with Cathaoirleach Cllr Donna Sheridan moving from a sitting to a standing position on several occasions to raise her voice to the on-screen presence of Cllr Harry Barrett, who she told repeatedly to ‘stop talking’ and ‘raise your hand if you want to speak'. 

The tetchy tone was set from the outset with item one on the agenda – a straightforward call to approve the minutes of the previous meeting – as Cllr Barrett, attending the meeting remotely and looming large on a giant screen overlooking the conference table and all present, stated he had further information to add to the notes made on the Imperial Hotel re-development discussion that previously took place.

“The minutes note there is no funding for the hotel to be developed as civic offices. However, I made contact with the Assistant Principal of the URDF (Urban Regeneration and Development Fund Unit) unit and he was very open to any local authority contacting him regarding any proposal and gave no indication that what we planned to do was barred. The information I received is that where a local authority confirms a project is not proceeding within the specified URDF programme time, it will still make the funding available for increased scope of works or, in some cases, an alternative project. So I want to propose a motion that Castlebar MD make contact with the URDF within the Department of Housing regarding the development of civic offices for the people of Castlebar at the Imperial site. There is an onus on us to move this project. The people of this area, through the council, have said this is where they want it to go. €11.5 million URDF funding is there for Castlebar and this will provide for a proper municipal chamber as well as a housing office, and if we plan it properly, we could also have some rooms for local voluntary groups.” 

Cllr Sheridan impressed upon Cllr Barrett on numerous occasions that notices of motion need to be submitted to meetings in advance and could not be raised as a matter arising from the minutes.

Director of Services John Condon clarified that matters arising could include new points of information but that notices of motions were separate.

Cllr Barrett said he had emailed the MD manager and staff officer to alert them to the URDF information update, adding: “So I am well within my rights to put this motion forward.” 

Cllr Michael Kilcoyne said he seconded the motion and that it amounted to further information on the item from the last meeting. 

“We understood then the Department were not agreeable (to the Civic Offices proposal for the Imperial) but he (Cllr Barrett) has ascertained the Department is agreeable and so I say yes to us having correspondence with the Department on this.” 

Mr Condon clarified: “This item is about adopting the minutes or not and noting any inaccuracy. It is not to rerun or make any decisions. I agree regarding flexibility, where we can go back to the Department with our proposals, that is part of the scheme and we may well have to do that. But they would only allow you make proposals that are within the term of the urban regeneration schemes and it says, local authorities cannot use the funding for their own accommodation; and if it were allowed, many local authorities might well use the money to accommodate themselves. So we can’t even apply for this unless the scheme itself were amended.

“The other thing is, this is not the first motion to develop that building. The council already adopted a previous motion to investigate the feasibility of the hotel and the council chief executive has indicated he will be reporting back to MD members in October and that will indicate where that has gone. That is important as well because the council will have to decide if there is a possibility of selling it, whether they want to sell it or not, so it doesn’t make sense to look for funding until the decision is put to bed.” 

Cllr Cyril Burke noted said the Imperial "is our best chance of getting a hotel for the town in the short term".

"This is our only chance to save this property as a hotel. The town is full of offices. You could rent any number in this town and the last thing we need is more civic offices.

“Marsh House will be available again and that’s a great location for civic offices, if we decide to move out of here."

Cllr Barrett interjected: “Yes, we do need a hotel in Castlebar but on its own proper grounds, with carparking, a leisure centre and conference facility. That is how a hotel makes money and there is no site on the Mall that can do that. You say investors have expressed interest in the project, so then it is sold to them at a knock-down price and two to three years down the line it is flogged by them at an open market profit. There is no insurance from them how they will develop this site, and yet Castlebar, the county town, still has no municipal buildings. Why is that when Ballina, Claremorris and Westport do?” 

Cllr Blackie Gavin said he fully agreed with Cllr Barrett, adding: “We will lose €5 million in government funding if we give this to a private developer.” 

“That is false information”, countered Cllr Burke, who was then interrupted by Cllr Harry Barrett calling for the Cathaoirleach to take a vote on his proposed motion.

Following continuing dispute and raised voices on the matter, Cllr Sheridan called on Cllr Barrett to just ‘stop talking’ and labelled him ‘disrespectful’ before she struck the table, stood up, and shouted ‘stop’, adding: “I am the Chairperson and I said we are not taking a vote and if you keep interrupting me I will ask [the staff] to mute you."

Cllr Blackie Gavin then charged: “I want to know what has happened all the money. We sold Volex, we sold the old library, but where is the money? Now we will lose five million. You are not fighting for the county town. Castlebar has gone down and unless ye spend money on it, we will keep fighting for the town because that is our job and we are elected by the people to do it." 

Eventually, MD Head David Mellett concluded that the urban regeneration scheme "will not fund civic buildings" but said he accepted there was some scope for a new proposal. Following October and the outcome being decided on the proposed hotel sale, he said he would have no hesitation about corresponding with the Department as requested.

Cllr Barrett subsequently offered an apology to the Cathaoirleach for his many interruptions during the debate, adding that it was difficult attending a meeting remotely.