Estate repairs may cost LCC ‘millions’
THE cost of works needed in housing developments to be ‘ taken in charge’ by Louth County Council could run in to ‘millions of euro.’
Cllr. Tomas Sharkey highlighted the extent of works that would be needed in many housing estates at last week’s meeting of the Dundalk Municipal District Committee.
Councillors were reviewing a report on the current situation for estates where applications have been made for them to be ‘ taken in charge.’
Cllr Sharkey said it ‘needed to be recognised how much money will be needed to do all of these repairs.’
He added: ‘ This will likely be millions (of euro) when you put all of them together.’
Cllr. John McGahon asked about progress in Elmore Lawns, Omeath.
Members were told that the council are awaiting a quotation for CCTV of the foul sewer.
Cllr. Maria Doyle said there were a number of estates which had been waiting to be taken in charge.
She highlighted Garrybawn, where an application for the process was dated as July 2000.
Cllr. Doyle asked why in the case of Garrybawn ‘ there were so many delays.’
She also added that many of reports carried out on older estates were outdated.
Chairman, Cllr. Conor Keelan highlight- ed Coulter Place on the Armagh Road, which he said he had raised before.
He added that the condition of the roads there had to be addressed.
Councillors also raised concerns about the staff officer who had been overseeing the taking in charge application process was no longer in his post.
Cllr Emma Coffey added: ‘ There are a lot of these estates which are nearly there. We need to make sure someone is sitting on this and dealing with them.’
She said that people living in estates which are in need of repairs ‘need answers’ as they are paying their property tax.
Director of Service Frank Pentony told the meeting that there is currently no staff to oversee the taking in charge process.
He added that the local authority had lost four staff from one particular section, which was a challenge to resources.
But he said they were ‘optimistic’ of having someone in place over the next few weeks as a recruitment process was underway.