Council rule out additional officers to deal with derelict sites in Mayo

A MAYO councillor has been informed that there is no need to appoint additional derelict sites officers as the current arrangements are sufficient to deal with the problem of derelict sites in the county.

Independent Castlebar-based councillor Harry Barrett had called on Mayo County Council to appoint more officers to deal with the ‘unacceptable high number of derelict and vacant properties’ in the county.

In a notice of motion which he plans to bring before Monday’s monthly meeting of Mayo County Council, Cllr Barrett proposed that the council appoint an additional derelict sites officer for each electoral area to ‘give meaningful and impactful use’ of the Derelict Sites Act 1990.

In response to Cllr Barrett's motion, Mayo County Council stated that they will not be making additional appointments to deal with derelict sites.

Christina Lynch, Staff Officer in the Environment, Climate Change and Agriculture department of the local authority outlined that the current Derelict Sites Service operated by Mayo County Council is a collaboration between the environment department and the four municipal districts and is administered centrally in the environment department.

She added that the environment department works closely with the housing department, the municipal districts and the vacant homes team, who identify properties for acquisition by CPO for which funding is available.

“In consultation with the vacant homes team and the four MDs, Mayo County Council has completed the acquisition of eleven properties through the derelict sites CPO process. In addition to the eleven completed acquisitions, we also have seven properties currently in process for acquisition.

“An additional derelict sites officer in each MD would be unable to operate independently. The current arrangements are sufficient for the existing housing needs and the available URDF3 funding,” she explained in the response.

As of September 1, there are 261 derelict sites on the derelict sites register with 28 sites having been added to the register in 2024 whilst 34 have been removed and are no longer considered derelict.

One derelict sites register is maintained for the entire county and is available to inspect online at www.mayo.ie/environment/derelict-sites.