Storm damaged wall rebuilt nine months after it was damaged, just five days after councillor called out the delay
A wall at Mayo County Council’s Castlebar offices has finally been rebuilt, just five days after Cllr Ger Deere publicly criticised the nine-month delay in repairing it.
The wall, which separates the Mayo University Hospital car park from the council chambers, was damaged during Storm Éowyn in January.
Despite blocks and cement being purchased months ago, the repair was delayed after council staff were told they could not carry out the work themselves due to health and safety regulations.
Cllr Deere described the situation as “unbelievable” and said it highlighted a waste of time and resources within local authorities.
The outside contractor that was brought in to rebuild the wall often works with Mayo County Council, repairing and carrying out improvement works on council houses in Castlebar and around the county.
“It was bad enough that council staff were stopped from doing the work, but to bring in an outside contractor, who is busy renovating council houses, when there’s already a backlog there. It’s nonsense what has gone on,” said Cllr Deere.
"It’s a beggar's belief now, I have to say, that this went on,” he added.
Following his comments at last week’s meeting of Mayo County Council, the repair was completed by contractors last Saturday.
“After I highlighted it, they got contractors to come in on the Saturday. It’s ridiculous when there’s staff there who could do it, and who’ve built walls in the past on a much bigger scale,” Cllr Deere said.
He revealed the job involved fewer than 100 blocks and said that many locals have been infuriated by the situation and by what they see as bureaucracy gone mad.
“People are infuriated to see that this nonsense is going on. It has a knock-on effect too, that contractor could have been getting council stock houses ready for tenants, or helping families living in bad conditions in council houses,” he said.
He also questioned the cost of bringing in workers at the weekend and noted that the cement bought for the job earlier this year had since hardened.
“The delay, the cost - it’s unbelievable. I’m sure this is just a small example of what’s going on in local authorities across the country,” Cllr Deere said.
While acknowledging the importance of health and safety standards, he said common sense had to prevail.
“If it was a huge project, by all means, get a contractor in. But when we had staff available and capable. This nonsense has to stop,” he said.
Cllr Deere added that areas around Mayo and across the country are still waiting on post-storm clean-ups and repairs, saying these issues shouldn’t have to be raised publicly to get them resolved.
“Even after Storm Éowyn, there are trees down, pathways closed, greenways blocked. You shouldn’t need to highlight this type of thing, [but] if we don’t, it’ll just continue,” he said.
“No wonder there’s so much apathy out there towards the government, politicians and the whole establishment,” he added.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.