Council ‘washing their hands’ of Westport pyrite problem, meeting hears

COUNTY councillors have accused Mayo County Council of ‘washing their hands’ of several pyrite-infected homes in Westport, with one saying the matter was ‘heading for a public inquiry’.

Over a dozen residents of Páirc na Coille estate attended a special meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District, where Mayo County Council’s Director of Services for Housing denied that the council had any prior knowledge of pyrite in the estate following the sale of four houses after 2017.

At least 32 of the 54 houses in the estate, which was built through a partnership with Mayo County Council and Respond, have been confirmed to have pyrite.

A report issued by Mayo County Council Chief Executive Kevin Kelly – who did not attend the meeting – stated that one homeowner contacted the county council regarding the potential presence of pyrite in their home in June 2017.

The report claimed that there ‘have been no records identified to suggest any correspondence either to or from Mayo County Council and the homeowners in Páirc na Coille at that time’.

Works on the nearby Sharkey Hill Community Centre – which also has pyrite – also took place in after 2017 ‘to address poor insulation issues’ as well as attic conversion.

Mayo County Council accrued a ‘clawback’ of €71,939 from the sale of four units sold in the estate since 2017, one of which was sold in late 2020.

Fifty-three loans totalling €5,332,798 were issued for the sale of the houses in Páirc na Coille. Of these, 30 are active with capital outstanding of €882,320.

All houses purchased were issued with indemnity covering the structural defects notified within ten years of purchase and minor defects notified with eighteen months of purchase.

The houses were competed between 2002 and 2003 on 3.9 hectares that was disposed of by Westport Urban District Council to Mayo County Council for the sum of £880,000.

“Although this is an affordable housing scheme with units purchase by individuals at a reduced value and perhaps with a loan provided by Mayo County Council this is still a private housing development,” read one passage from the report.

Tom Gilligan, Mayo County Council’s Director of Services, told the meeting that nobody had any knowledge of what pyrite was until the publication of a report by the Expert Panel on Defective Concrete Blocks on June 1, 2017.

Mr Gilligan insisted that Páirc na Coille was a private estate, despite local councillors maintaining that Mayo County Council owned the houses.

Cllr Peter Flynn said it was ‘absolutely clear’ that all the houses were under the control of Mayo County Council.

“How anyone could say that Mayo County Council had no stake in this is just beyond the beyond. It is absolutely clear that Mayo County Council had their hands in this from day one,” Cllr Flynn said.

Cllr Brendan Mulroy said that an independent inquiry would be needed to resolve the matter.

Another special meeting is to be held among local councillors on the issue in January, with all four Mayo TDs to be invited.

We will have further coverage of the special meeting on pyrite contamination in Páirc na Coille in Tuesday’s print edition of The Mayo News.