Gleann Riada residents want answers

Residents of the beleaguered Gleann Riada housing estate on the outskirts of Longford town are being kept in the dark by Longford County Council, according to a spokesman.

Speaking to the Longford Leader before distributing a letter on the matter at the council’s monthly meeting, John McNamara, an engineer representing the estate’s residents, said consultation with homeowners has been slow and limited.

Safety is a concern for residents as defects in the drainage system has led to a build-up of methane gas, which has already resulted in two explosions at properties in the development.

“There was a detailed inspection carried out in November”, he said, referring to a CCTV survey of the estate’s sewers. “Mr Barry Lynch, the finance officer with the local authority, gave an assurance that the report would be available in days. The residents and myself would really like to see that immediately, rather than leaks and snippets.”

“Any amount of reports is not going to get away from the fact that work is going to have to be carried out,” Mr McNamara explained. Referring to money that was allocated to carry out repair works in the estate, he said. “We would like to see a full breakdown of where this money is being spent, and also a clarification on whether any of the monies have been spent outside the boundaries of the Gleann Riada development in the adjoining Flancare development, or indeed in the area for the primary healthcare centre.”

Mr McNamara also claimed that the funds allocated for works in the estate fall significantly short of what is required. “The public areas require somewhere in the region of €2,000,000, and possibly another €2,000,000 is needed for the houses themselves.