€13.35m. investments approved, but council told it should borrow to build homes in Mayo

LOANS totalling €13.35 million to fund a number of major investments have been approved by the members of Mayo County Council.

The breakdown is as follows.

€4.15 million: Energy retro-fit at Áras an Chontae, Castlebar, Westport Leisure Centre, Ballina Swimming Pool and Castlebar Fire Station in partnership with the SEAI Pathfinder programme. Total cost €8.2 million, of which €4.131 million is grant-aided.

€4.7 million: New multi-sports campus at Knockaphunta, Castlebar. Total cost €12.2 million, with €7.5 million grant aid approved.

€2.5 million: Upgrade and refurbish entire ground floor of Áras an Chontae, including the council chamber.

€2 million: Fund the CPO of derelict sites across the county. This proposal includes a review in May, along with an added clause that people who buy derelict properties must move them on within two years.

There was general support for the proposals at the monthly council meeting, with Councillor Harry Barrett supporting an additional call from Councillor Michael Kilcoyne that the council also borrows to build houses. And Councillor Barrett also asked for extra borrowings to remove dereliction, while directing €0.65 million from the climate fund to purchase affordable sites, with the council building the homes. He fully supported the sports campus project which members described as 'a game changer' for the county.

Councillor Damien Ryan said climate change is an absolute part of what they have to do and they have to meet their targets and proceeds with the four large facilities in the county.

The council chamber, too, was probably one of the most outdated in the county and their HQ should be a landmark building.

Councillor Peter Flynn said they cannot be preaching and then not meeting their targets on carbon emissions, and the four buildings outlined have the highest energy bills and emissions.

The chamber refurbishment, in terms of sound, ventilation and accessibility, was long overdue.

Councillor Kilcoyne said while he welcomed many aspects of the proposals, he questioned raising over €2 million for council refurbishment when there are mothers and children out on the street.

There were no borrowings to build houses, he said, and the council should be borrowing to provide homes. Housing has to be the No. 1 priority.

He was told in response that housing is fully funded from central government.

Mayo being the highest county for dereliction was a source of concern for Councillor Donna Sheridan who would prefer to see more funding going into that than was being spent on retrofitting what are government buildings.

Councillor Barrett supported Councillor Kilcoyne, saying the proposals do not speak of the priorities we face, with major problems with homelessness and affordable housing.

And he again highlighted the plight of the 'working poor' who cannot afford to rent or get a deposit for a house, with affordable schemes coming out at up to €1,600 a month. “That is not affordable,” he stressed.

Councillor Richard Finn said they were raising €4.1m. for climate change works, but where are our carbon taxes going, he asked.

And Councillor Patsy O'Brien also wondered why funding wasn't coming from central government, though he was reminded that there is also grant aid on the table and there are also no proposals to increase rates.

All 30 members adopted the climate action plan, Councillor Peter Flynn reminded them, and now they have to act on it.

* Published under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme