Village residents prepare for fight to save investment

THE beleaguered residents of Clonmannon Retirement Village in Co Wicklow are bracing themselves for another round in the fight to save their investments if the sale of part of the village goes ahead this week.

Tenders have been invited by next Wednesday for Clonmannon House, a Georgian mansion and one time service centre of the village, which is being sold at the request of the receiver. The property is being offered along with five of the complex's vacant bungalows and 24 acres.

But while the remaining occupants would welcome the property's purchase by an investor willing to run the business along its original lines, there is a strong fear that the sale will return Clonmannon to the crisis which forced the Government to appoint a liquidator in the first place. Residents' representatives insist they will oppose any attempts to reduce the village to the status of a sheltered housing scheme.

"We would love to see a bona fide investor who was prepared to run Clonmannon along the lines which persuaded people to move in here in the first place," says Father Arthur O'Neill, long time campaigner for the residents.

"But given the asking price and the amount of investment needed just to restore some of the basic services, it's difficult to see that happening at this point. And the appalling thing is there is nothing at the moment to stop the place being bought as a simple property investment, by people who might just sit it out for a few years until all the residents are dead."

The villagers' worst fear is that the properties might be bought by unknown parties, using the cover of an overseas company. But there is also concern that the purchasers could be charitable trusts intent on running the village as a "sheltered" housing scheme, with a reduced level of services.

"There is nothing wrong with sheltered housing, but it's not what these people paid for and it would not be acceptable," says Father O'Neill.

Any moves to formally scale down the status of the village will be opposed, in the courts if necessary, according to another campaigner, Mr David Furlong.

Mr Furlong, whose father is a resident and whose mother a former resident who had to be moved to a nursing home when services were suspended - died in January, warns that villagers will - not settle for a sheltered housing scheme.

Potential purchasers could face legal challenges from the residents if they do not intend to restore the services originally available. The legal complexities of Clonmannon are highlighted by the fact that the five bungalows offered for sale are the only ones in the village for which clear vacant possession could be established, even though many others are in fact now unoccupied.

Residents bought their 19 or 45 year leases on the promise of 24 hour medical services. A wide range of catering and social facilities in Clonmannon House was also assured, and house buyers were promised that "the facilities of the elegant clubhouse are at your disposal night and day".

Mr Furlong's mother is one of two residents to have died this year, and of the remaining 17, most are in their 70s and 80s.

They have been without the medical, catering and other facilities since 1993, when most of the village withheld payment in protest at deteriorating services. Water and electricity, which were cut off by the owners at the height of the dispute, have since been restored but residents are having to make do with an improvised, overground sewerage system.

The receiver, Mr John Meir, must report to the High Court by April 10th as to whether he has received an acceptable offer. The court does not have discretion to refuse a viable bid but it could attach certain conditions, such as that the principals of a purchasing company be identified, or that they be domiciled in Ireland.