An Ard Mhuilinn resident in Mitchelstown has taken issue with comments made by Cllr June Murphy at last week’s Fermoy Municipal District meeting, saying it makes the estate out to be ‘some kind of Third World ghetto’.

This week, Ard Mhuilinn resident Amanda Donegan contacted The Avondhu to express her annoyance, saying the estate had been made ‘out to be some kind of Third World ghetto with duvets up against the windows to keep ourselves warm’.

At the meeting, Cllr Murphy had issued a motion calling on Cork County Council to ‘upgrade the windows in the remaining houses of the Ard Mhuilinn Estate in Mitchelstown which have yet to receive this badly needed upgrade’.

In response, Pat O’Connor for the council, said the existing windows in the estate are double-glazed teak windows, and as the planned Maintenance Programme for 2015 will likely address the replacement of single-glazed units only, window upgrading at Ard Mhuilinn Estate will be considered in 2106.

Cllr Murphy stated her disappointment at his reply, saying she will ‘seek to bring in a deputation and let the residents have their say about it’.

Cllr Murphy went on to state that there are people in the estate whose children are sick, that people are putting duvets on their windows to keep out the draught and that one family were unable to close the front door, as the door had become warped.

She received support on the motion by Cllr’s Kevin O’Keeffe, Kay Dawson, Noel McCarthy and Frank O’Flynn.

APPRECIATION

While expressing her annoyance at Cllr Murphy's comments, Ms Donegan too expressed her appreciation with the work done by Cork County Council on maintaining the houses in the estate.

“I’m very happy that the council are maintaining the estate to the best of their abilities. I honestly think great attention is given to Ard Mhuilinn in a lot of areas.”

She added: “The councils did start putting in all the new windows and doors but unfortunately ran out of money before my house. I was the next on the list. But I’m very happy with my windows and doors. They’re teak windows and they are double-glazed, and the house is warm. They’ve just totally insulated my loft, as they have in all the houses.

“All the houses owned by the council here have been completely insulated, from top to bottom. I’m the next person in line for new doors and windows, and to be honest I’d prefer to keep my old ones – because now my house is nearly too warm!”

Concluding, Ms Donegan said: “Our estate is always getting run down by people and it’s actually quite a lovely place. We do have the same problems that everybody else has but I’ve certainly not seen anybody having to put duvets up against windows to keep the draught out or anything like that.”

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