Council tenants ‘riding rough-shod’ over their neighbours

A number of residents in a council estate in Tuam are ‘riding rough-shod’ over their neighbours – and getting away with it – because neither the local authority nor a state-approved housing agency is taking responsibility.

That was the claim made by Councillor Donagh Killilea this week who says he is ‘beyond frustration’ that tenants could carry on like this and not be brought to task.

The problem, as he laid out at this week’s Tuam Municipal District meeting, was that the former County Council estate of Cúirt na Cora had been handed over to Steer, an approved housing agency.

But when asked in a correspondence from Galway County Council if Steer were complying with the Council’s regulatory by being responsible landlords, the housing association replied their remit did not include investigating or intervening in such complaints.

Cllr Killilea told the meeting that he was most frustrated that this type of behaviour couldn’t be tackled by either the local authority or the Steer Housing Association.

He said he had met the residents there to discuss their problems to be told that six new families had moved in there but that nobody in authority was doing anything about it.

“Steer is a housing agency but nobody seems to be responsible to look after the needs of the neighbours who are complaining about anti-social behaviour.

“Some residents are riding rough shod with stones being thrown at properties.

“I don’t know what these agencies do and I don’t know where to go next as I have been told that as the tenants involved in the anti-social behaviour are not tenants of this Council, our housing section can’t do anything. It’s very frustrating and it’s the fault of the housing section of this council,” he added.

Speaking after the meeting to the Connacht Tribune, he said all housing agencies should be obliged to sign up to the same tenancy agreement published by Galway County Council a few years ago.

He said he found it hard to accept that Steer or any other housing agency could detach themselves from complaints made by their tenants re anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Pete Roche, speaking at this week’s Municipal District meeting, asked where did residents go when they flagged anti-social behaviour, adding it was insulting that they return to ‘proper procedure’.