Ninety-three pyrite grant applications made in Mayo to date

NINETY-THREE stage 1 confirmation of eligibility applications have been received by Mayo County Council under the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme.

Some 71 stage 1 confirmation of eligibility letters have issued, and nine stage 2 grant approval applications have been received.

Speaking at a council meeting ahead of the pyrite/mica protests in Dublin today (Tuesday), Councillor Gerry Coyle said he was delighted to see the scheme being mentioned as it had fallen on deaf ears for eight years.

This was because it was 'a Belmullet problem', he said. No one opened their mouths about it.

He had first raised the issue back in 2013. And last year no one had raised a hand when he asked at a council meeting that something be done in respect of planning for people who have to rebuild their homes.

The councillor paid tribute to the former county chief executive, Peter Hynes, for working to try and have no planning, with rebuilds proceeding by way of a part 8 application put through by the council.

On the 90% grant scheme available, he wasn't happy with that but '90% of something was better than 100% of nothing' and he went for it eventually.

Pryite has been a problem for years but only he had been shouting about it in the council. But everyone was shouting now that it was also on their doorsteps.

Two notices of motion were passed at the meeting – Councillor Coyle's request that houses being repaired and rebuilt under the scheme be exempt from the 13.5% VAT payment, which would bring the scheme up to 100%, and a call from Councillor Seamus Weir to review the scheme and increase available compensation from 90% to 100%.

The issue of backlogs in administering the grant scheme was raised by Councillor Mark Duffy who asked for extra resources to have applications dealt with quicker.

Director of services Tom Gilligan assured members the council is doing all it can to deal with applications and get them paid as quickly as possible.