The Chairman of the Housing, ICT and Rural Water SPC, Cllr. Fitzmaurice presented the policy to the Members for consideration:

·         The draft policy was presented to and recommended by the members of the Housing, ICT and Rural Water SPC on September 22^nd 2022 to be forwarded to the Council for adoption.

·         The scheme is now administered by the Housing Section of the Council.

·         Under the terms of the Act whereby the owner of the dangerous site refuses to pay for works carried out by the local authority, a mark will be placed on his/her property portfolio and such dangerous sites would take precedence over derelict sites.

·         Where a person upon whom a Notice is served does not comply, Roscommon County Council, through its Law Agent (legal representatives), may make an application to the District Court in the matter.

Acting Director of Services Fiona Ni Chuinn said it was considered appropriate to have a dedicated policy in respect of dangerous sites. She said a lot of work had been carried out by the Council’s Vacant Homes Officers with owners of dangerous structures and places. There is now a form on the Council’s website for members of the public to identify any such sites.

The members welcomed the policy and discussed as follows:

·         Cllr J. Keogh said the new policy was discussed by the Corporate Policy Group and recommended for adoption and would give the Council powers to investigate any dangerous structures or sites that would endanger life or property.

·         Dangerous sites were often classified as protected buildings and said it was not easy to ‘front up’ the costs of reinstating a building.

·         Recently, Cloonshanville Cemetery where a local friary on the grounds of the Cemetery was deemed unsafe, is causing a lot of concern. This had resulted in a portion of the building and a number of graves being sealed off in the graveyard. Work was ongoing which was taking a lot of funding and time to make the building safe.  The process could be slow and merely identifying buildings as unsafe didn’t make them any safer.

·         There is a potentially dangerous building in Athleague village adjacent to a public amenity. Is it the policy of the local authority to make such buildings safe if the owner was unwilling to commit to making the building safe?

·         Is a site or building containing mica or pyrite considered a dangerous building?

Responding, Acting Director of Services Fiona Ni Chuinn said the Council’s Heritage Officer was working with groups to support refurbishment works through Heritage and Improvement grants. She said if the Council were required to carry out work, then the cost of such work would be recoupable from the owner. Interest would be at a rate of 5% per annum in respect of works.

On the issue of homes affected by mica or pyrite, Ms Ni Chuinn said the issue was a matter for an Engineers Report on the policy concerned.

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Fitzmaurice

SECONDED by Cllr. Keogh

It was AGREED to adopt the Dangerous Structures and Places Policy.

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Fitzmaurice

SECONDED by Cllr. Keogh

It was AGREED to adopt the Dangerous Structures and Places Policy.