Housing body ‘asked Athlone councillor to leave’ meeting

A local councillor said he was asked by a State-supported housing body to "stay away" from a recent meeting it held with residents of houses it manages in Athlone.

Cllr Aengus O'Rourke said this week that representatives of the Respond housing agency told him he "wasn't welcome" at the outset of a meeting with residents of Sarsfield Square, where it manages 16 properties, four of which have been vacant for some time.

He said Respond representatives took him aside and told him the meeting would not go ahead if he was in attendance. He said he insisted on staying, and was ultimately allowed to do so after some of the Sarsfield Square residents said they, too, would be leaving the meeting if he was forced to do so.

The Athlone councillor gave his account of the incident during Monday's meeting of the Athlone Moate Municipal District. He has previously criticised Respond's management of the housing it operates in Sarsfield Square, and he described his interactions with the agency at the meeting as "a red flag".

He said four of Respond's houses in Sarsfield Square were currently boarded-up, and that one of these has been unoccupied for over a decade, while its twelve occupied houses in the estate were in "poor" condition.

"I have to say that I don't trust Respond. They've made so many false claims and false promises at this stage that I really can't take them at face value," he said at the Municipal District meeting.

Cllr O'Rourke said the residents in Sarsfield Square had, on his advice, organised the recent meeting with Respond. He stated that, when he arrived, "senior people from Respond" asked to see him outside.

"They asked me to stay away from the meeting, that I wasn't welcome, and that the meeting wouldn't proceed if I insisted on staying. I told them I was insisting on staying, which I did. I walked into the room and asked the residents if they wanted me to stay. They said they did, and that they'd leave if Respond insisted that I leave."

He said that when the meeting ultimately went ahead, it became apparent that Respond's "plans for Sarsfield Square are empty - they have none.

"They have no plans, no money, and no application made to the State, or a Government department, to put the four houses back into active use. And they have very little plans in terms of bringing the twelve occupied houses up to standard.

"Those houses are below the standard of our council housing stock, and that's unfair. It's unfair to the residents, their families and children, some of whom are living in conditions that are just not acceptable."

Cllr O'Rourke concluded by asking the council to "urgently review" its relationship with Respond, saying the Sarsfield Square residents had previously met with the housing body on these issues fourteen months ago, and no progress had been made in the interim.

"I feel that what we've been presented with, and what perhaps the (council) executive have been presented with, is not the full story," he said

He received the backing of his fellow councillors, with Cllr Paul Hogan saying he "found it unbelievable" that an elected representative would be asked to leave a community-facilitated meeting.

"There are very serious questions for management at Respond to answer... Families are crying out for houses in that area, and are coming to us saying 'why are all these houses boarded-up?'"

Cllr Frankie Keena said he was "appalled" by Cllr O'Rourke's account of his treatment at the meeting, describing it as "not acceptable".

"When you have a body receiving public funding, that's our taxpayers' money, and they should be accountable," added Cllr John Dolan. "I think they've picked the wrong fight here, to be honest with you, but we'll deal with that."

Council Director of Services Jackie Finney said "what's been communicated with me from Respond is that they're very open to engaging with elected members. If the experience Cllr O'Rourke had is to the contrary, I'd be disappointed to hear that."

She said she had been told by Respond that they were seeking Government funding to bring the four idle Sarsfield Square homes back into use.

"Given the seriousness of the voids in Athlone, and the length of time they've been vacant, I see no issue with corresponding with Respond and inviting them to come in and explain their plans," said Ms Finney.

"Cllr O'Rourke, you're saying that Respond has no plans for these houses, but that's not what we are being told."

The new Mayor of the Athlone Moate District, Cllr Vinny McCormack, concluded the discussion by saying a letter would be sent from the local authority asking Respond representatives to a meeting with the councillors.

He said it the letter should "make it clear that this is not an invitation, it's an ultimatum to come and see us. We need to see them urgently."