Balance emergency accommodation provision throughout County Mayo

EMERGENCY accommodation needs to be balanced throughout the county to meet local need as it arises in Mayo.

The numbers in the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District are 'huge' in comparison to other districts, Ballinrobe Councillor Damien Ryan told a meeting of Mayo County Council.

They were carrying once and a half as many as the other three districts put together.

He has a difficulty with it not being fair and balanced.

There has to be a meaningful attempt to balance the strategy, he said.

“If the need originates in your area that's fine. Each area should have to look after its own.”

Councillor Ryan asked for a commitment on this strategy and that it begins as soon as physically possible.

Councillor Michael Burke agreed that where people become homeless, the big majority are being accommodated in Ballinrobe.

The districts should take responsibility for their people who become homeless and fall on hard times, he said. People should be staying at their base until a home is found for them.

Councillor Seamus Weir commented on a case in north Mayo where a pensioner had to move out of their property. They went to the council and Ballinrobe was put forward as an option for them but they wanted to stay in their own town, he said.

A similar story was relayed by Ballina-based Councillor Mark Duffy where people chose to sleep rough as they didn't want to go to Ballinrobe.

And Councillor Burke also had a case where a man came to Ballinrobe from another district and waited until 3 o'clock and then left. A 'good guy who fell on hard times', he didn't want to be there either and there should have been a place available to him in his own area, he said.

Director of services Tom Gilligan said homelessness is complex. They don't want people out on the street and are utilising hotels and B&Bs.

He wanted to get to a place where they are not relying on those third party providers.

“We need a more sustainable and future-proof way of dealing with homelessness. We are working on a strategy for that.”