This article is from page 4 of the 2013-04-02 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
THE site which contained the outline of five buildings constructed to floor level also had exposed service pipes, a concrete trough like structure that proved a drowning hazard if it filled with water during heavy rainfall and some discarded waste including a razor, bottles, broken glass and a disbanded sign advertising three bed semi detached houses for sale.
Mother Jean Kavanagh told The Clare People how she had to bring her five year old daughter for a tetanus shot after she ran on to the site after a ball and fell.
The concerned mother said that a wooden fence has been erected at that point of entrance since the incident, which has proved successful at that end of the estate, but large areas still remain dangerously exposed.
Brian Canny is one of the unfortunate homeowners who look directly on to the derelict building site.
“Since my family moved into the estate in 2008, there has been little or no work done on the site,” said the young father who had planned on raising his family in a friendly and safe neighbourhood.
Cluain na Laoi Kilkishen is currently divided into two parts with approximately 30 houses accessible from the main road.
This part of the estate appears to be complete, however 12 semi-detached homes at the back of the estate are accessible only through a temporary entrance off a side road.
Three of these houses remain unoccupied, but the remaining nine have young families as householders.
As well as the dangers of the building site, concerned resident have raised fear about the lack of public lighting facing at the back of the estate.
Cassandra Dinan explained how a child was almost knocked down by a reversing car due to the lack of proper lighting, only to be saved by the screams of a neighbour.
“We are trying to be reasonable because we know the economic climate is not easy. We all know we must pay the property tax as that is the law, but we get frustrated when we hear that estates have been finished to a reasonable level when they are expected to pay the tax,” she said.
The small community has bonded over the issues and filled all of the forms required of them so as to allow a bond to be released to the builder to finish of this part of the estate.
Ms Dinan said that the group would be happy if this were to happen but no progress has been made on this issue since last December.
Adding his support to the young families Michael Hogan of Kilkishen Tidy Town’s Committee and the Local Community Development said the village was working hard to enhance the aesthetics of the area, but this remained an eyesore.
CLARE County Council said it is unlikely that housing estates like Cluain na Laoi will be made exempt from paying the residential property tax, even though it was added to the household charge exemption list at a late date,
“The list of estates for exemption from the property tax was compiled in accordance with criteria issued by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and following a comprehensive assessment by Clare County Council of all estates in accordance with that criteria according to Director of Services Ger Dollard.
“The key test was whether the estate was in a “seriously problematic condition” i.e. incomplete to a substantial extent and without services such as roads, footpaths, public lighting, open space etc,” he said.
“Persons who were exempt from the household charge but are now liable for the property tax are not now retrospectively liable for the household charge.” The council official said there was no provision to add to the exemption list as it is carried out by Ministerial order.
“I would expect that the list would be reviewed on an annual basis to take account of progress made on developments which may remove them from being in a “seriously problematic condition” category,” he added.
“Both developments at Kilkishen and Sixmilebridge are on the Council’s active list for progress. We are satisfied that any public safety issues have been satisfactorily dealt with and we are working with the developer to achieve progress on issues on both estates. Work has been undertaken and we would expect further works to take place in the short term.”
Local Councillor John Crowe (FG) said he believed Cluain na Laoi should have been on the tax exemption list, similar to another estate in the East Clare village of Kilkishen.
“The people of Kilkishen have reason to be aggrieved. There are two estates in Kilkishen in that situation and one is still exempt,” he said.
Cllr PJ Ryan (Ind) said he was also of the belief that a resolution to the payment of part of the bond would have to be found, even if it meant the county council buying the material directly for the suppliers. The Cla re People attempted to contact the builder yesterday (Monday) but had no response at time of going to press
.