Derelict Kilbeggan properties ‘a blight on the town’
A number of derelict houses on the Tullamore road in Kilbeggan were described as “a blight on the town” at the February meeting of Athlone Moate Municipal District last week. The remarks were made by local Fianna Fail Cllr, Liam McDaniel, who was attending his first meeting of the local authority after a lengthy absence due to illness.
“I am disappointed, but not surprised, to see that Kilbeggan is not included on the list of areas to receive funding to tackle derelict buildings as the bigger towns always seem to be favoured over their smaller neighbours,” said Cllr McDaniel, who was speaking on a motion he had before the meeting.
In his motion, Cllr McDaniel proposed that the derelict houses and lands on the old Dublin road at the Crescent roundabout in Kilbeggan (on the Tullamore road) be developed by Westmeath County Council under the latest round of URDF (Urban Rural Development Fund) funding, which allocated €150 million to local authorities.
While acknowledging that the local authority has already done “great work in Kilbeggan”, Cllr McDaniel referred to the derelict properties in the town as “an eyesore” and he also expressed concerns about the safety of the buildings.
“There are two schools in the vicinity of these buildings and the kids are walking by them every day and the roofs are ready to fall in, so I would have safety concerns and I don’t want to be back here this time next year looking for something to be done,” he said.
Cllr McDaniel received strong support from the mayor of the municipal district, Cllr Vinny McCormack, and also from Cllrs Johnnie Penrose and Tom Farrell, the latter saying that the buildings should be the subject of a Compulsory Purchase Order if the owners are not willing to maintain them.
District manager, Jackie Finney, told the meeting that she is familiar with the properties in question, which are on the Derelict Sites Register. “We can press the owners to do something, and we will, and if the properties are eligible for any schemes we will also look into them,” she said.
In their written response to Cllr McDaniel’s motion, the council said: “The URDF scheme recently announced applies to URDF towns only, which for Westmeath, is Athlone and Mullingar. The properties referred to are not eligible under this scheme.”
Cllr McDaniel was welcomed back to his first meeting of Athlone Moate Municipal District after a prolonged absence due to illness. Cllr McCormack extended “a warm welcome” to his Fianna Fail colleague on behalf of members and wished the Cllr “continued good health” into the future, a sentiment which was endorsed by all members.