Concern over 'uncontrolled speculation' in respect of prime urban Mayo site
A TOTAL of nine homeless cases were recorded in Ballina during March, a meeting of Ballina Municipal District has heard.
The breakdown was 10 people, with no children involved, the head of Ballina MD, Declan Turnbull, told the meeting.
He added that they do not have many places to house homeless people in the area.
Councillor Michael Loftus, Ballina MD cathaoirleach, said there are now 26 homeless people housed the Dolphin Hotel in Crossmolina, including children. The premises is not suitable for children, he said.
Mr. Turnbull pointed out that every case is different.
Sometimes people find their own solution within days, sometimes they make arrangements with family when they find out that the council has few options, and sometimes they are placed in emergency accommodation, such as the Dolphin Hotel and a few others in the county.
In a related issue, Councillor Annie May Reape tabled a notice of motion calling on Ballina MD to advise if the former St. Mary’s Secondary School building is subject to any live planning application and if so, what is planning sought for.
As part of the motion, she called on Mayo County Council to outline the procedure involved in seeking retention planning in circumstances whereby a Part 5 planning application has already been rejected as an IPAS centre.
“If it's to become a shelter for homeless people or a nursing home, is planning permission required for retention?” Councillor Reape asked.
Councillor John O'Hara said it is important that people living in the area know what is happening.
Councillor Reape added that mobile homes and caravans are being moved on to the site. If she moved mobile homes and caravans in to her back garden, she would be told by enforcement to move them within three weeks.
Mr. Turnbull said the site is privately owned by a Dublin-based company, and everyone is entitled to carry out work on their own property.
However, he was was not aware of what was going on. There had been no complaints received, and there is no live planning application at the moment.
“If something is done and they apply for retention, it will be dealt with in the normal way,” he promised.
He added: “If anything is going on that people feel is outside of the regulations, it can be looked at by planning enforcement. But we're not aware of any complaints.”
The whole thing is very mysterious, said Councillor Marie Therese Duffy. “It's the not knowing that is troubling people,” she continued. “They are still concerned about what is going to happen.”
“If someone gives us hard facts we can investigate it,” Mr. Turnbull said.
Councillor Jarlath Munnelly said that following the start of the war in Ukraine, an EU regulation was introduced to allow, as an emergency measure, buildings to be used for housing displaced people.
He suggested that it was time for Ballina MD to write to the government asking for that measure to be revoked now.
He continued that the situation with the St. Mary's site is allowing 'uncontrolled speculation', and that the emergency measures are allowing people to make 'a quick buck'.
“It (the EU regulation) is still a temporary provision, and it's making a mockery of the planning laws. That is adding to bad feeling, to be honest with you,” he concluded.
Councillor Loftus said a possible way of finding out more in relation to the St. Mary's site is to contact the building regulations section of the council to see if anything has been done through them.