Call on Mayo council chief to issue statement on holiday home boycott controversy

COUNCILLORS in the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District distanced themselves from the holiday homes boycott controversy in the county when they held their monthly meeting this morning.

The chief executive of Mayo County Council has been called on to make a statement clarifying the local authority's position as the fallout continues after a senior official suggested a boycott of holiday home owners in a bid to bring properties back into long-term use.

'Disappointing' and 'unbelievable' were some of the words used to describe the suggestion circulated by the director of housing in an email to housing strategic policy committee (SPC) members that was subsequently leaked to the national media.

Opposition was also voiced to a suggestion coming from the SPC that a tax be imposed on holiday home owners.

Achill Councillor Paul McNamara said he is 'totally against' both suggestions, describing the idea of a tax as 'absolutely ridiculous'.

People left their native shores on the west coast in the 1960s, '70s and '80s as it wasn't possible to make a living in their areas, he said. And when they made the pound they came back and spent it in the place where they were born and reared, and they contribute to the local economy every year they come home.

They may live in other parts of the world, but this is home, said Councillor McNamara, and he respects that.

Erris-based Councillor Gerry Coyle expressed his disappointment with the boycott statement.

Holiday homes were in essence 'heritage homes', built by people who had sent money home, and he himself had the letters stating 'I'm enclosing the £10 or £15' that was regularly sent back. And now they were being asked to boycott or charge these people.

Councillor Coyle admitted the boycott idea 'made my blood boil' and it should never have been thought up in the first place, much less released to the public.

“I will never allow people to be boycotted,” he commented.

“People with a holiday home are not the cause of the housing crisis, and nor are they the solution to it.”

Councillor Chris Maxwell said it was another attack on rural Ireland, that would not solve the housing crisis.

People are paying enough tax, he said. And he suggested planning be opened up to give young people a chance to build, instead of them facing every obstacle.

Councillor Johnny O'Malley said people abroad had worked hard, doing up the old homestead or building houses, and how dare anyone suggest they now be taxed on it.

No way would he agreed to the statements about boycotts, saying it wouldn't solve the housing problem.

The word boycott was inflammatory, agreed Councillor Brendan Mulroy, who was struck by his colleague Councillor Coyle being visibly upset about the matter.

The boycott statement was 'hugely damaging' to the entire county, said Councillor Flynn. And yet they hadn't heard from the chief executive, and he appealed for him to make a statement clarifying the council's position.

In the overall debate, they needed to focus on bringing town centres back to life, said Councillor Flynn. They needed to get people back in, making property affordable and allowing people to be employed.

The taxation system in the country is in favour of short-term letting, he commented.