Mayo election candidate concerned over crisis in social housing

MAYO County Council has run out of private rented properties in Castlebar and is now sending families who need emergency accommodation to other towns like Claremorris and Ballinrobe.

That's according to local elections independent candidate in the Castlebar area, Harry Barrett

The failure to build council houses over the last 10 years is now having a massive impact, he stated.

He stated: “At the moment I am dealing with a family who are homeless. They are sleeping on couches with relations.

“Mayo County Council cannot source a private landlord to take this family so they have been asked to move to accommodation in another town, 25 km away .

"This family have children who attend a local school. They do not own a car. These children will be expected to return to school this week. What are they going to do? The failure of this government to build proper levels of council housing has left us with an emergency situation here in this county.

“In effect, Mayo County Council have run out of private landlords with suitable accommodation for families in the Castlebar area who present as homeless. If a landlord wants to renovate or repair a property, families will be asked to move and then where did they go?

“And this is no reflection on the staff of Mayo County Council who are doing an amazing job in very difficult circumstances, trying to work with a massive shortage of suitable accommodation. I applaud what they are trying to do, everyday, in trying to manage this crisis.

“This emergency accommodation crisis must be the first thing on the agenda in any new Council. It is a looming crisis that will get worse and worse until decisive action is taken by councillors and the executive of Mayo County Council to build and repair sufficient numbers of homes to increase supply."