Council agrees sale of site at Finisklin despite no rent being paid for last eight years
SLIGO County Council has agreed to sell a property at Finisklin to the tenant despite rent not being paid for the last eight years. Councillors heard that Sligo Plant Hire, the tenant, owed the council, eight years rent, which amassed to € 100,000 and the Council had agreed to sell the site, worth € 70,000 to the company for € 200,000.
Director of Services Bartley Gavin told yesterday’s meeting of Sligo County Council that it was a complex case as the site had been subject to a lease which was expired when the council took it over.
He said the tenant was agreeing to pay € 200,000 for the site and this was the most favourable option open to the council.
Cllr Declan Bree asked if there was one law for the rich and one for the poor. He added: “If a tenant of a council house runs into arrears with rent the tenant will be brought to court and threatened with eviction. However we are told that Sligo Plant Hire owes the council in rent arrears and it would appear that no action has been taken by the council to recover the rent which is owing.
“Then we are told the company hasn’t paid rent in eight years, if that’s the case, then the council isn’t doing it’s duty. This doesn’t reflect well on the management of the council. Can you imagine a resident in St Joseph’s not paying rent for eight years. I’m not supporting this,” he added, saying he had huge concerns over what was going on in the harbour.
Mr Gavin said when the council took over the harbour, it inherited a number of sites with an enormous amount of work to sort out. “Personnel in the harbour tried to resolve files and consider the most favourable way to resolve them. I consider this option a very favourable outcome for the council. The process is hugely slow to move on,” he pointed out. CEO Ciaran Hayes said it was unfair to compare the issue with social housing and said it was a complex and legal matter. From my discussions with Bartley I am aware this is probably the best outcome for the council’s point of view.” Cllr Joe Queenan asked if further situations arise down the line and Mr Gavin said the council was trying its best to address a number of properties in the harbour which were subject to a lease and a lot of the arrangements were not satisfactory at the time the council took over ownership. It went to a vote and councillors voted by a majority to sell the property.