Upper floors in commercial premise in Sligo used for storage
no parking charges at a hospital with the idea that there won’t be any security at the hospital. There are plenty of staff members who could police and make sure that it would not be used. My motion holds water, I’m standing with the Irish Cancer Society and all those people with a cost of living crisis paying to bring young sick children, stressed out parents, stressed out families, bringing them to hospitals where they are paying €200 per month in parking charges. There is a strong case here, I want my motion to be put to a vote.”
Cllr Martin Baker said: “The way this motion is worded it will never work. I’m fed up of things being played around with like a political football.”
Cllr MacSharry interrupted Cllr Baker stating “this is my motion, I’m not trying to score points. There are several party political colleagues in other local authorities who have similar motions down for debate, the same as I am. I’m not trying to score political points.”
The vote resulted in nine against, two for, one abstention and six councillors were not present to vote.
The motion was lost.
MOST upper floors in Sligo town commercial premises are being used for storage, a local councillor has been informed.
Cllr Darragh Mulvey had sought information on whether an assessment of the level of vacancy over commercial premises has/is being undertaken in towns throughout county Sligo to identify what can be brought back into residential use for people seeking rental accommodation.
He was told within Sligo Town the Council in association with Sligo Business Improvement District have started a survey to assess the level of vacancy over commercial premises across the primary retail streets.
However, there are no plans to carry this survey work out anywhere beyond Sligo town, he was informed.
In terms of what the survey did find, he learned this week that early indications are that the majority of upper floors in buildings surveyed to date are being used for retail storage and office accommodation associated with respective premises.
There are no plans at present to extend this survey to the rest of the County.
The council said promotion of the different grants available to bring back vacant or derelict properties into residential use are ongoing, in reply to his suggestion that the council promote the grants available from the Croí Cónaithe funding stream to carry out these works.
In additional information given to him, the councillor was further informed that a Vacant Homes Survey was completed in Q4 2023 as part of government policy outlined in the National Housing Policy, “Housing for All”. As required, the Survey focused on residential properties in towns and villages within the County with a population exceeding 400 people.