Cork County Council purchases home in County Limerick 'by mistake'

A RESIDENTAL property in Limerick, mistakenly purchased by Cork County Council, is to be transferred into the ownership of Limerick City and County Council, it can be revealed.

The property, understood to be a detached home in a rural area, is located in the townland of Kilglass, Anglesboro, close to the Limerick/Cork border.

The Limerick Leader has learned the dwelling was purchased earlier this year with the intention of it being allocated to a family on the social housing waiting list in Cork.

However, housing officials at Limerick City and County County Council were not informed in advance as the purchaser was not aware that the property is actually located in County Limerick and not in Cork.

Details of the purchase first emerged publicly when two separate motions appeared on the agenda circulated in advance of the September meeting of the Cappamore – Kilmallock Municipal District.

The first motion, submitted by Cllr Tommy O’Sullivan, requested that any public body or local authority seeking to purchase lands or houses in Limerick “should be requested to formally consult with this local authority for noting and approval of the proposed purchase”.

The second motion, submitted by Cllr Eddie Ryan, requested that the council write to James Browne, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage “to ask that a house near Anglesborough, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick, which was recently purchased by Cork County Council, be taken into the ownership of Limerick City and County Council and be allocated to a family from Limerick City and County Council’s Social Housing Waiting List.”

At the September meeting, elected members agreed to a proposal to defer both motions pending further clarification and neither motion was discussed.

While neither local authority has commented on the issue publicly, this newspaper has learned housing officials have been in contact since last week’s meeting to establish the full circumstances surrounding the purchase.

Local authorities in Ireland have the legal right to purchase or acquire properties outside of their jurisdictions but there is a protocol in place as to how such transactions should be conducted.

While accepting what happened in this case was a genuine mistake, Cllr Tommy O’Sullivan, cathaoirleach of the Cappamore – Kilmallock MD, said lessons must be learned. “The piece of the jigsaw that is missing from this situation is that purchases like this should be brought to elected representatives of the area for noting, and we will do the same. Collaboration from the very start between councils would stop any mistakes that could happen.

“The local electoral area should be consulted. We need to work together, whether it’s cross-border bridges or walkways, it benefits us all. You just can't beat connectivity or communication on the ground.”

The Limerick Leader understands the family that was to be offered the property at Kilglass was not informed by Cork County Council of its intention, and that, instead, the house will now be allocated to an applicant on the social housing waiting list in Limerick.

The townland of Kilglass, which is located around 7km from Mitchelstown, shares a border with County Cork – along the course of the river Funshion.

A spokesperson for Limerick City and County Council said it does not comment on individual cases or specific housing issues.