Mayo pyrite group hears single staffer deals with hundreds of applications

By Caoimhín Rowland

A meeting of defective block homeowners in Mayo heard that there is only one person working in Mayo County Council's office dealing with their applications.

Close to 500 people attended a public meeting in the Merry Monk in Ballina this evening. The situation, which was first flagged by homeowners in Belmullet in 2012, currently includes cases in Ballina, Foxford, Lahardane, Crossmolina, as well as an estate in Westport, with reports of affected homes in Castlebar estates also.

"It's not just one quarry, one builder or one part of the county that has this problem", Martina Hegarty from Crossmolina informed the crowd.

Over 400 applications for the scheme to rebuild have been presented to Mayo County Council offices, but at tonight’s meeting, there was dismay when it was revealed by campaigners that there is only one person working in the offices in Swinford.

“She’s doing her best, going above and beyond for everyone,” one speaker said.

“We need to let Mayo County Council know we want more support for her; she has helped us out, and it is unfair she is left burdened by it all,” another stated, to applause.

The meeting ran for close to three hours and concluded with an agreement to host a public meeting in a bigger venue at a later date.

“It’s an election year,” a man representing 54 homes in Westport said, “we need to let them (politicians) know of the number impacted.”

Plans are also afoot for the Mayo pyrite group to run candidates in all local electoral areas in the county to keep pressure on politicians.

In Donegal the Redress party possess 4 candidates and there is also a candidate in Clare.

Mayo Pyrite state they are open to hearing from prospective politicians as their campaign grows.