2 days ago
Over 110 council owned homes damaged in Leitrim during Storm Éowyn with repairs still to be carried out
114 council owned homes were damaged with over 70 homes suffering roof damage.
The damage caused varied in level of severity and the repair works were prioritised based on the damage caused with roof repairs being carried out first to prevent an ingress of water into the houses.
The council said this was a 'significant volume of work that took a significant amount of time' to carry out.
However, a number of houses have yet to have repairs carried out, particularly damage to fences surrounding properties.
Local Sinn Fein Councillor Padraig Fallon raised the issue at a recent Council meeting and asked when these repairs would be carried out.
He said he has received a number of calls from local authority tenants who are living in properties that have been suffered damage to fences and other areas of the property.
'We had a lot of homes damaged in Leitrim.
"Some of them had significant enough damage done to the roof and we know that would have been the priority for Council staff.
"However, a lot of the other work remains to be done. I am getting a number of calls about this and that is why I put in the question asking when the works will be complete,' said Cllr Fallon.
Cllr Fallon also questioned the financial resources available to the local authority to carry out this repair work and the Council confirmed a claim to the council's insurance company has been submitted.
Cllr Fallon said some elderly resident whose fences were damaged are particularly eager to have the works carried out.
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"There are elderly members of the community who are living in local authority homes and saw the fences as a form of security.
"They felt safer with the fence around their home and they are looking to have it repaired,' said Cllr Fallon.
A spokesperson for Leitrim County Council said, 'There was a total of 114 Local Authority houses damaged by Storm Éowyn at the end of January 2025.
"Of this, over 70 of suffered roof damage.
'The severity of the roof damage varied from minor, a small number of tiles removed, to more severe, a large number of tiles and ridge capping removed, with gutters and fascia and soffit also damaged.
'Significant work has already been carried out to repair the damage caused by Storm Éowyn.
"Works were prioritised based on the severity of the damage, with repairs to roofs receiving priority in a bid to prevent the ingress of water into the properties.
"Other less urgent repairs are still being completed, such as the repair of fences around local authority houses.
'A claim for funding has been submitted to our insurance company - IPB.'
