Knock units will be upgraded to provide homes for older people

A NUMBER of housing units in Knock are being upgraded to provide homes for older people.

In an update to local councillors, Mayo County Council's head of housing, Simon Shevlin, explained how the shrine has had 30 units since the late 1980s, but 25 have been vacant.

The council has been working with Knock Shrine, who are going to get established as an approved housing body under the Irish Council for Social Housing.

Mr. Shevlin explained how he has received approval in principle from the department to renovate all the properties.

They will be for older people, he said, adding: “It is a great thing for Knock to get those properties updated and occupied.”

The scheme was originally built for older people but as people passed on they were never replaced.

The council is working with the shrine's business manager and Fr. Richard Gibbons to get the project over the line.

Councillor Richard Finn welcomed the news, saying the units had not been inhabited as they were not fit for use in the past number of years as they had no central heating and double glazing and a total upgrade was needed.

He was delighted the council's housing office and shrine were in talks to upgrade the homes. It was a serious issue over the years that so many units were left unoccupied.