Anna-Marie Flynn
MAYO County Manager Des Mahon has denied reports that hundreds of Limerick residents will be rehoused in this county, stating he believes there is ‘no foundation’ in such claims.
At yesterday’s (Monday) monthly meeting of the county authority, elected members raised concerns about the issue and requested clarification from the County Manager, Health Service Executive (HSE) and Garda Síochána.
Chairperson of the Housing Special Policy Committee, Cllr John Cribbin, said he was ‘extremely concerned’ and was forced to take ‘scores of telephone calls from worried people throughout the county’ over the weekend.
Cllr Michelle Mulherin said she would liken the problems in Limerick to The Troubles in Northern Ireland. “No one suggested that the people in the North move away from the area to assist in finding a solution, so to suggest that these people be rehoused here is a nonsense. The answer, like the North, lies in dialogue.”
Recent reports suggested that a rejuvenation plan for Limerick would see more than 2,000 houses completely demolished, with families being rehoused in areas in Mayo. Unconfirmed figures circulating locally claimed Ballina would be forced to take 80 people, Castlebar would accommodate 45 and Westport would have to take eight. In total over 200 people were said to be relocated from the Southill and Moyross areas.
Yesterday, the County Manager said that he was not aware of any such plans. “I have received no information whatsoever about this. I have not been contacted by anyone and to me there is no foundation in this story.”
Cllr Cribbin said he hoped that this news would put people across the county ‘at ease’ but seconded a proposal by Cllr Mulherin that a letter requesting clarification be sent to the HSE and the Gardaí.
