Over 30 houses lie empty in Mayo village amid Ireland’s housing crisis

At the latest meeting of the Claremorris and Swinford Municipal District, councillors heard that more than 30 houses in Knock have remained vacant for several years. The update came in response to a motion from Cllr Richard Finn, who requested a progress report on the homes.

It was confirmed that the Approved Housing Body (AHB), which had taken over the properties, was now “unable to progress the scheme.” As a result, Mayo County Council is “progressing on the basis of taking on these units as part of its own delivery scheme.”

Cllr Finn expressed deep frustration with the situation. He said: “It’s a downright disgrace that in this day and age you can go into a village, and there’s about 35 houses empty.”

He argued that if the Government were serious about addressing homelessness and housing local people, these problems should be tackled immediately and stated that he was “blue in the face” talking to Mayo County Council about the issue.

Cllr Finn also criticised the AHBs, claiming that they “go into hiding” when issues arise with housing projects they are unable to manage. He warned that the council must be “reasonably adept in the letting of such properties in the future.”

Cllr Patsy O’Brien questioned what explanation AHBs have to the public to leave homes vacant during a housing crisis.

In response, Cllr Alma Gallagher highlighted the unique role that AHBs play in rural communities and informed the council that AHBs were “one of the most regulated sectors in the country.”

She was referring to the statutory organisation Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA), which was established in 2021.

Cllr Gallagher supported the motion, and suggested that the vacant homes would be suitable for the elderly, recognising the ageing population in Knock.

Cllr Finn acknowledged the remarks but remained critical of AHB’s accountability, stating: “There’s no regulation when people walk away and relinquish their responsibility for housing.”

Other councillors expressed similar frustration. Members of the district described the situation as “disgraceful,” stressing that having more than 30 vacant homes in the middle of a housing crisis was unacceptable.

They urged that every effort be made to bring the houses back into use. Cllr John Caufield added: “It could be done between now and Christmas if the will was there to do it.”

Knock-based councillor, Deirdre Lawless, told the meeting she knew of several individuals who had approached the council in relation to moving into the vacant homes, but that they had been rejected.

She said it was a shame to see them lying idle and agreed with Cllr Gallagher that the homes would be ideal for the elderly, noting that there was a community centre on the estate and it was in close proximity to the church as well.

In response, Mr Gilligan assured the meeting that the council is working with the AHB in Knock to resolve the issue.

“I don’t want to focus on the past, I’m more concerned about working in the present and in the future,” he said, “We have a good relationship with the AHB there and we are working towards a resolution around those properties to bring them back into use as quickly as possible.”