Mayo councillor stands over Balla homeless accommodation comments

A Mayo councillor has stood over comments she made regarding homeless accommodation in Balla saying that what she said has been confirmed as facts.

Fine Gael councillor Donna Sheridan denied claims that comments she made at the February meeting of the Castlebar Municipal District regarding homeless accommodation in Balla was 'a solo run based on gossip and innuendo'.

The Balla native told the February meeting that she was concerned that the Olde Woods premises on Main Street in Balla was being used as homeless accommodation and this had not been communicated with the wider community.

Following the meeting, the Dempsey family, who own the premises released a statement claiming what Cllr Sheridan said was based on 'misinformation'. In a statement sent to The Mayo News, the family explained that the premises is leased to an independent company which has been housing Ukrainian residents since 2023. They said that only three of the twelve rooms had recently been made available for people on the homeless list, on a short-term basis, while the majority of the property continues to be occupied by Ukrainian residents.

However, at Wednesday's March monthly meeting of theCastlebar Municipal District, Cllr Sheridan stood over what she had said saying that at no time did she 'misinform this meeting'.

“I have been in this chamber for the last six or seven years and my character has never been called into question in such a way. I wish to set the record straight. At no time did I misinform this meeting or the media. I came in here and said that the Olde Woods in Balla was being used as homeless accommodation. That is a correct fact which I have fact checked with the Director of Services prior to me coming in here,” she said.

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Cllr Sheridan said that following Freedom of Information requests submitted to two different bodies, she was informed that the Olde Woods has been used for homeless accommodation since July 31, 2025. She added that she felt the premises were not appropriate for homeless accommodation as there was nobody on the site full-time to look after the needs of the residents.

Cllr Donna Sheridan

“I felt this [premises] was inappropriate because there is nobody on the site full time and I stand by that,” she said.

“It is really really concerning for the people of Balla. We need to do everything we can for homeless people in the middle of a bad crisis but putting people into situations where there is nobody onsite full time is just not acceptable. Charlestown [homeless accommodation centre] is an example of good practice but in my opinion this is not working and doesn't work.”

Cllr Sheridan also informed the meeting that she had received information that homeless foreign nationals staying in the Olde Woods were recently before the local court and said this is concerning for local residents.

“Balla is my hometown. I know people in Balla and grew up with them and know what is going on there and it is really concerning to me and the people of Balla. That is the situation and they are the facts. It is not suitable and I have to highlight it and say how worried I am and how concerned a lot of people are.”

Independent councillor Michael Kilcoyne commented that if people from Balla or the surrounding area are homeless they should be given first preference to stay in homeless accommodation in the area.