Lack of clarity on taking in charge housing estates in Leitrim

Cllr Brendan Barry said he was disappointed with the lack of clarity in response to a request for an update on the housing estates that Leitrim County Council expects to take in charge this year.

Raising the matter at the Ballinamore Municipal District last week, Cllr Barry said no estates were taken in charge in 2021 and he is disappointed there is no clearer picture of what estates will be taken in charge this year.

Cllr Barry said people who are buying or selling a house are wondering and he said there was no clarity in the response he got to his motion.

He was told the Council has not yet determined the number of estates that it proposes to take in charge this year.

Cllr Barry was informed that discussions are ongoing regarding available resources within Leitrim County Council and Irish Water. There are also issues relating to way leaves that have to be obtained and finalised in respect of any estate to be considered.

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“As a consequence, the Council will not be in a position to advise the exact number of estates that may be taken in charge until such time as it is in a position to initiate the statutory declaration of public roads public consultation process for the estates, which should take place at the end of the year,” the reply stated.

Cllr Enda McGloin supported the motion and described it as very timely. He said they had a workshop before and they were able to go through the outstanding estates in the Ballinamore area. He said that would be useful for some future meeting of the municipal district.

Vincent Dwyer, Head of Finance, said such a workshop could be arranged again.
He said he understood the motion but added it is proving difficult to get some of these estates over the line given all the various stakeholders involved, particularly Irish Water.

He described it as a challenge in relation to way leaves and land ownership but verified that the content of the response was correct.

Mr Dwyer said he will discuss it with the management team and see if an update with time frames on it could be brought to the next municipal district meeting.

Cllr Barry said the workshop would be in private and his motion to the meeting is public and suggested maybe that was why he couldn’t get a more detailed response.

He said Irish Water was mentioned as being “a hindrance” preventing estates from being taken in charge and said he knew of an issue with pumping stations where Irish Water wouldn’t take them in charge even after the Council had taken estates in charge.

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“It’s disappointing they are holding up the taking in charge of estates by refusing to take the infrastructure in charge,” the Sinn Féin representative said.

Finally, Cllr Barry asked that planners be available again for municipal district meetings to give members some clarity on the issue.