Lack of contractors blamed for empty council houses in Mayo

A shortage of contractors has been blamed for a 39-week average turnaround time for houses owned by Mayo County Council.

The monthly meeting of Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District was told that the average re-letting time for vacant council dwellings in 2023 was 39.8 weeks.

In reply to a motion from Cllr Damien Ryan, Noel Gibbons, Administrative Officer for the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District, revealed that there are 14 vacant council houses in the municipal district area - which covers one-third of the county. These include seven in Swinford, four in Claremorris and three in Ballinrobe.

Mayo County Council is the biggest landlord in Mayo, owning more than 2,300 social houses, including over 420 in Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District.

Cllr Ryan said that the 40-week turnaround time ‘needs to be addressed’.

“We should be getting those turned around within three to four months, maximum,” said Cllr Ryan.

Cllr Paul Lawless described the turnaround times for Mayo County Council-owned properties as ‘enormous’ .

“I canvassed a house in Claremorris before Christmas, December, that was vacant. I returned before the local election and that house was still vacant,” the Aontú general election candidate said.

Conrad Harley, Senior Executive Engineer with Mayo County Council, said the council were ‘struggling’ with a lack of contractors across the Claremorris-Swinford area.

“We’re appointing contractors and they just cannot get to work, they cannot get labour, that is a physical problem we’re struggling with,” Mr Harley said.

Padraic Flanagan, Head of Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District, defending said the number of vacant council properties was ‘relatively low’, amounting to one in every 60 houses.

Mr Flanagan added that the council had a limited staff to deal with contract tenders but admitted there was ‘room for improvement’ with turnaround times, which could vary from ‘immediate’ to ‘a couple of months’.

“There is a limited number of contractors that are willing to carry out this work. They are excellent at what they do, but you are talking about three to four contractors in the county,” said Mr Flanagan.

“They are doing between €40,000 and €50,000 of work in a lot of cases. There are a lot of houses that will get turned around much quicker, but if you have a lot of work to do on a house it can take a long time to do in the private sector or in the public sector.”

Tom Gilligan, Mayo County Council’s Director of Services for Housing, said there was a lack of tradespeople such as blocklayers and electricians to carry out repairs.

Cllr Alma Gallagher (Fine Gael), who works in the voluntary housing sector, said it can be ‘very difficult’ to get contractors due to the volume of work available at present.

“In terms of voluntary housing, it wouldn’t be acceptable if that house would be left idle for a year. We’d have to get it occupied within a three-month time frame…but at the same time we have to have a dose of realism as well,” she said.

‘NOT FIT FOR A DOG’

THE delay in repairing council-owned houses was also highlighted at a recent meeting of the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District, where one council property was described as unfit for a dog.

Belmullet-based councillor Seán Carey (Fianna Fáil) said the upkeep of council-owned houses was ‘coming up time and time again’ among constituents and called for the relevant budget to be increased.

Cllr Gerry Coyle (Fine Gael) said the conditions of some council tenants ‘would bring a tear to your eye. The Geelsala-based councillor highlighted that burned-down social houses in the Erris area had still not been rebuilt.

“We’re in the biggest housing crisis that the country ever seen, and we haven’t €64,000 houses. It’s absolutely ridiculous, ridiculous to the known earthly world.”

Independent county councillor John O’Malley added: “If you saw where people are living, I am not exaggerating, but I know a man that’s living in a council house, and I assure you, that it’s not fit for a dog.”

Cllr O’Malley suggested that Mayo County Council should sell houses that it does not have the funds to repair.