Making safe collapsed building in Mohill is a priority

Cllr Thomas Mulligan told the Leitrim Observer that a property in Mohill which has been the cause of a one way system being implemented in the town over the last number of weeks is set to be made safe.

Emergency services attended the scene of a partially collapsed building on Mohill Main Street partially on Sunday, November 19, after part of the building’s façade collapsed and fell onto Main Street.

No injuries were reported and a single lane traffic was put in operation on Main Street, Mohill.

Cllr Mulligan said the consultant engineers have been given the green light to proceed with a programme of safety works on the site.

He said the joint engineers on the project want it to made clear that "they had nothing to do with this project until now," said Cllr Mulligan and that they are just carrying out safety works and any works that are to be carried out later on "which will run into the new year, as of yet, they are not the consultant engineers on that."

The issue was raised at the latest Carrick-on-Shannon municipal district meeting by Cllr Mulligan who asked when was it expected that the roadway and footpath at Lower Main St. Mohill will reopen as normal and had pushed the council to carry out the works as soon as possible. 

Cllr Des Guckian had said at the meeting that people believe "what happened is typical of how Mohill interests are being ignored by this council."

He continued that to up 12 parking spaces were lost and "much business is being lost at a key time of year coming up to Christmas and some are saying 'Why should we call into Mohill and have to get around this one-way system?' and are probably going to head for Carrick-on-Shannon."

He proposed that the rates of all business people in Mohill be halved "because they are losing business". 

He said that "it really is a disaster" and said that the council should have "been proactive in dealing with this situation before it really got bad." 

Justin Fannon of Leitrim County Council responded that district engineer Darragh O'Boyle and his team were out there immediately when it happened" and "the planning section was also out immediately" adding that works were due to commence shortly. 

Mr Fannon said that the council were unaware that there were "internal works being undertaken" adding "we don't have an inspector visiting properties on the off-chance that someone has undertaken internal works unknown to them."

He said that health and safety measures "trump everything; the incident was caused by others and the council has "undertaken its duty of care to the residents of Mohill by making sure that the footpath is appropriately cordoned off."

Cllr Finola Armstrong-McGuire said it was a "most unfortunate incident" and appealed to locals to go to Mohill "more than ever in this climate. You can go in and safely park and those who are able can walk to the shops and services in the town. I would make an appeal that in all our small towns, people make an extra effort to do that in December, January and February because they are the hardest months for small businesses and they are threatened by the bigger boys in all bigger towns."

She added: "I appeal to people to get their goods where they are acknowledged and thanked and appreciated by owners and staff in the shops."

Cllr Paddy Farrell appealed "to people everywhere in Leitrim to shop local" adding it was "lucky that no one was killed or injured in the Mohill incident". 

Cllr Sean McGowan said the incident was "most unfortunate" adding "I don't know who the builders were but they hadn't a clue what they were doing and thankfully no one was walking or driving by when that building collapsed."

A report by the Council's Economic Development section at the meeting said the Planning Department had issued the property owner with a Dangerous Structure Notice which includes seven improvement actions which have to be completed in order to make the remaining structure on Lower Main Street safe.