Council in crackdown on derelict buildings

A dilapidated property in Shantalla has been on the City Council’s Register of Derelict Sites for more than 20 years.

The register contains a total of 15 properties around the city which have fallen into such a state of disrepair. The local authority has taken action against the owners. All are listed in today’s newspaper.

No. 57 Shantalla Road has been on the register since July 1991, while the adjoining No. 56 is on the register since March 2008.

Both are owned by retired butcher James Davoren from the Ballymoneen Road in Knocknacarra.

It’s understood that No. 57 is now also listed as a ‘Dangerous Structure’.

A spokesperson for Galway City Council said there have been ongoing issues with this building over the past 20 years, and that the matter has been before the courts. It’s understood a fine has already been imposed and paid.

“The City Council is progressing the matter,” the spokesperson said.

Mr Davoren also owns numbers 9, 10 and 11 Dominick Street Upper – the ‘Ideal Drapery’ and adjoining premises beside Róisín Dubh – which have been on the register since September 2009.

The former Connacht Laundry premises on St Helen Street in the ‘West’ – has been registered as derelict since September 2012.

It had been bought by Jaytar Ltd (Noel Burke from Galway and John Staunton from Shrule) in 2006 for €30m, but was placed in receivership by Danske Bank.

 The Oasis nightclub in Salthill – which has been empty since a fire several years ago – is also on the list since February 2011, and is owned by Henry Greally of Tambark Ltd.

 On the Old Ballybrit Road, opposite the reservoir, a property owned by John Connolly from Roscam has been on the register since September 2009.

If the landowners fail to carry out remedial works, they face fines of up to €1,000 plus €100 for every subsequent day of the offence, and even up to six months in prison.

Alternatively, the Council can choose to get a current valuation of any site deemed derelict, and impose a levy of 3% per annum on the owner.

Director of Services for the Environment, Joe O’Neill, explained: “The purpose of the Derelict Sites Act is to make sure the owner takes action to clean it up. We give them a reasonable period of time to take action, and we have to be satisfied with the work, or it will be added to the Register.

“We find it a most effective way of dealing with problems, and another option is to prosecute. But in most cases, the direct approach works.

“We’ve been lucky over the years that we haven’t had a huge amount of derelict sites,” said Mr O’Neill.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.