Laois County Council director agrees 'big stick' and bigger fines needed on dereliction

There are 42 Laois properties listed (see full list at end of story) as derelict and potentially accruing fines on Laois County Council's Derelict Sites Register, one of them for more than seven years.

The council's Director for Housing agrees that the fines are not big enough to force owners into real action.

Director Angela McEvoy said "I don't disagree with you" speaking to Cllr Ollie Clooney who told her the fines should be 33% of the property value, not the current 3%.

"It's a joke, 3%, and unless we get the big stick out, we'll have the dereliction continuing," Cllr Clooney said at the November meeting of Laois County Council.

"We have put levies on properties but unfortunately some landowners would see it as easier to pay the levy than to actually invest in doing up the property and that's one of the biggest issues that we face," Ms McEvoy said.

"We have collected levies in relation to some derelict sites, particularly here in Portlaoise. But it is one of the issues that we have seen. It's not a disincentive unfortunately, unless the levy is increased maybe. It starts at 3% and increases to 7% in the following years but maybe if there was an increase it might help us out a bit," she said.

The director said that the council does not use Compulsory Purchase Orders on properties that they cannot use or sell on.

"A lot are protected structures. Under the Croi Conaithe scheme money is available up to €70,000 but that is probably a pittance from a protected structures point of view for the investment needed to bring them back to use," Ms McEvoy said.

Cllr John King had raised the issue at the meeting.

"In Rathdowney we have three derelict properties taking the whole look off the town. We have to put more pressure on owners. There is no point owners saying 'we will apply for funding' and then it's kicked down the road. These owners are not even living in the county," he said.

Cllr John Joe Fennelly said there are derelict properties in modern housing estates too. He reports seeing many while canvassing for Fianna Fáil in the General Election. 

"The amount of vacant houses is staggering. There has to be some major scheme brought in to get rid of them. They are in every town and village we canvassed in, it's phenomenal.

"They're not protected structures or anything like that. I know there can be someone deceased or they are going through courts or whatever, but I'd say there's hundreds of houses in the last three years that are just left and nobody in them. We have to bring in something to move on those houses," the Abbeyleix based councillor said.

Below are the 42 properties on the Laois derelict sites register, with date placed. Properties are removed from the register if the owner cleans up the exterior to the council's satisfaction and pays fines owed.

Stradbally Main Street, Stradbally, Co. Laois 22/6/21
Stradbally Main Street, Stradbally, Co, Laois 01/03/21
Ballylinan Main Street, Ballylinan, Co. Laois 10/11/21
Portarlington Post Office 20/9/2021

Portarlington Post Office is on the Laois Derelict Sites Register, vacant since the office moved into SuperValu. 

Ballinakill Ballinakill, Co. Laois 25/9/17
Portlaoise Triogue Manor 4/10/21
Portlaoise Mountrath Road 17/5/21
Ballyroan Main Street 3/6/22
Doonane Crettyard 22/2/22
Ballybrittas 11/11/2022
Portarlington Bracklone Street 14/11/22
Portarlington Bracklone Street 24/8/2022
Vicarstown 16/12/2022
Portlaoise Old Knockmay Road, 17/01/2023
Mountrath Bridge Street 3/2/2023
Mountmellick Sarsfield Street 3/2/2023
Portlaoise 8 Well Road 10/5/2023
Portlaoise 7 Well Road 10/05/2023
Mountmellick Market Square 13/6/2023
Mountmellick O’Connell Square 13/6/2023
Mountmellick Parnell Street 13/6/2023
Portlaoise 4 Bramley Court 13/6/2023
Portlaoise Knockmay 24/7/2023
Portlaoise Church Ave 4/9/2023
Portlaoise Peppers Lane 4/9/2023
Portlaoise Grattan Street 29/9/2023

Mountrath Shannon Road 29/9/23
Mountmellick 29 Patrick Street 19/10/2023
Rathdowney Church Street 08/02/2024
Ballylinan Main Street 28/02/2024
Portlaoise 16 Main Street 26/03/2024
Ballinakill 5 Chapel Street 3/04/2024
Ballinakill Chapel Lane 3/04/2024
Ballinakill Chapel Lane 03/04/2024
Portlaoise 11 Bridge St 04/04/2024
Portarlington Cooltederry 14/05/2024
Rathdowney The Square 23/5/2024
Rathdowney Ossory Street 14/06/2024
Portlaoise 55 Broomville 23/7/2024
Portarlington Foxcroft Street 23/7/2024
Mountrath Patrick Street 24/09/2024
Mountmellick Emmett Street 25/09/2024

A “derelict site” means any land which detracts, or is likely to detract, to a material degree from the amenity, character or appearance of land in the neighbourhood of the land in question. This may be because of structures in a ruinous, derelict or dangerous condition, or the neglected, unsightly or objectionable condition of land or any structures, or the presence of  illegally dumped litter, rubbish, debris or waste.