Bishop of Killaloe in discussions to sell diocesan land for social housing

The Bishop of Killaloe, Dr William Walsh, stated yesterday he was in discussion with three groups with the aim of making land available for social housing at his residence in Ennis, Co Clare.

In a statement, Bishop Walsh revealed that over the past three months, Ennis urban council, the Mid-Western Health Board and the St Vincent de Paul Society had approached him expressing their need to secure land for social housing and office space. The statement added: "Conscious of the social obligations of the church in regard to the use of property, it was decided to enter negotiations directly with these organisations rather than offer this property for sale on the open market.

"The negotiations are ongoing."

According to the statement, the lands relate to a six-acre site to the east of the bishop's Westbourne residence.

The bishop's residence - situated less than a mile from Ennis town centre - borders the River Fergus and is beside the main route to north Clare.

The statement concludes that if and when agreement is reached in regard to the sale of the land, it will be subject to the approval and conditions laid down by the Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests, who oversee the conduct of all property matters held in trust by the diocese.

An Ennis auctioneer said yesterday that if the lands were sold on the open market they could realise £1 million.

The town clerk of Ennis, Mr Tomas Ryan, said the council appreciated very much the bishop's willingness to enter negotiations in relation to his land, adding that he was confident the negotiations would be successful.

Mr Ryan said there was an acute housing shortage in Ennis, where there are 300 people on the council's housing list.

In the early 1990s Bishop Walsh's predecessor at Westbourne Palace, Bishop Michael Harty, sold about five acres of land at his residence for £250,000 to a local developer who has since built a private scheme of 48 houses there.

Earlier this year, Bishop Walsh gave the go-ahead to Sixmilebridge Pastoral Council to sell eight acres of land in Sixmilebridge to a private developer for £950,000.

The council had secured planning permission for 49 houses on the site in the east Clare village. Most of the money made from the sale is to remain within the Sixmilebridge parish.

A spokesman for the diocesan office has admitted the office does not know how much property the diocese holds.

He said the diocese is currently awaiting the results of an inventory being carried out in each parish to determine the number of properties the diocese owns.