Echo interest led to Cork County Council response says TD

A CORK TD has said representations he made on behalf of a social housing tenant with black mould in their home only received a satisfactory response from Cork City Council when he mentioned The Echo was covering the story.

Fine Gael TD for Cork North Central, Colm Burke, who was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Health last week, said he had made five representations to the council and only received a satisfactory response when he said The Echo was investigating the issue.

Mould

Sinead Gabriel, a Cork City Council tenant living in Glentrasna Drive in The Glen, told The Echo she had been complaining “since last year” about mould in her bathroom.

Ms Gabriel said she was “sick of painting over” the mould, and that the ceiling plaster in the bathroom had fallen away because of the damp.

Mr Burke first emailed the council on her behalf in February, and made four follow-on queries without satisfaction.

He said that it was only when he mentioned The Echo that the council had called to Ms Gabriel’s home.

Concerned

“I am concerned that the failure to respond to a maintenance issue like this has taken place within a 10-week time period,” Mr Burke said.

“The maintenance section in Cork City Council is usually quite efficient, but obviously this has fallen between departments, which should not happen.

“It’s important now that city council deal with it, but that they will also set up a mechanism where maintenance concerns are filed that they are acted on.

“There is also a question mark, in view of the fact that the housing stock of Cork City Council has improved dramatically in the last four or five years, have we sufficient numbers of people in the maintenance department to deal with issues?

“I think it’s important that something as concerning as this is dealt with in the early stage,” he added.

Cork City Council was asked for comment.