THE MAYOR of Longford is calling on Minister for Environment Phil Hogan to meet residents at the Gleann Riada housing estate in Co Longford.
On the Strokestown Road in Longford, Gleann Riada is a private estate partly controlled by the National Asset Management Agency (Nama), which demolished a vacant apartment there last month.
Longford County Council and the HSE have been monitoring gas levels at Gleann Riada since a suspected gas explosion occurred at one of the houses in March.
Councillor Peggy Nolan, who met residents on Wednesday night, said: “These people bought into a dream and they inherited a nightmare. They need support now and it has to be forthcoming from national agencies”.
She wants Mr Hogan and the Minister for housing Jan O’Sullivan to meet residents to hear their concerns.
The council has contracted specialists to investigate the estate’s sewerage system in an effort to ascertain the source of dangerous gases detected in some houses.
Meanwhile, a number of residents have been advised not to light fires in their homes. They were also asked to open doors and windows and leave their homes if strong odours were detected.
According to Ms Nolan, residents who are advised to leave their properties by the HSE will be given alternative accommodation by Longford County Council.
One resident, Anne Heffernan, was evacuated on July 3rd when dangerous gas levels were detected in her home.
Following a week in a hotel, Ms Heffernan was moved to an apartment where she remains in a situation she has described as “limbo”.
“I’ve had to leave my house, not by my choice, and I have no answers as to when or if I can return,” she said. “My heart goes out to the people that are left in those houses.”
When she took out a mortgage to buy her home in 2006, Ms Heffernan said, the odours were infrequent. However, as time went by they became constant.
Her “life is just completely upside down” at present.
“The only good thing to come out of it is I wake up to no headaches in the morning.”
Engineer John McNamara – who represents 45 of the 72 Gleann Riada property owners – has questioned the level of inspection at the estate.
“I don’t know the full complexities of Priory Hall, but I think there are more aspects to this one [Gleann Riada],” he said.
Mr McNamara has translated documents for a number of Polish residents, who, he said, appeared to be unaware of issues at the estate.
Ms Nolan wants every house in the estate monitored for gas.
She also called for increased communication between the HSE and residents.
In terms of planning, “now is the time to look at the legislation that is in place and to strengthen it in favour of the purchaser”, she added.