Modular homes petition for Mayo people rebuilding due to pyrite

MODULAR homes should be put in place to accommodate people whose properties are being knocked and rebuilt due to pyrite.

Councillor Neil Cruise has asked if Mayo County Council could petition the department to put in place some homes, similar to what was done in Claremorris to house people from Ukraine.

The pleas going out from people seeking accommodation are 'heartbreaking', he said. There is no accommodation available and people are on their knees under the severe pressure.

He suggested a scheme similar to Claremorris, which meant they would not have to go through years of planning, but get it on the ground in a number of months.

His Westport colleague Councillor Peter Flynn said a site with planning had been offered in Westport for modular homes but it had received no traction.

Chief executive Kevin Kelly said the proposal could be submitted to the department. However, it would require planning permission unless government passed some kind of exemption. Funding would also be an issue.

The exemption with regards refugees was under EU legislation, he pointed out.

On the Westport site, that would require planning permission for modular accommodation, he explained.

Councillor Cruise felt that as a European delegation have visited mica sites in Donegal recently, the issue was on their radar and they should lobby for an exemption.