There was relief yesterday for 26 of the 40 householders in north Mayo who have had to evacuate their homes since the landslides in the area two weeks ago.
However, at an information meeting held in the local church yesterday, the occupants of a further 14 family homes and farms were told that they remain in the high-risk category and were advised by Mayo County Council officials to stay out of their houses for the time being.
"It's upsetting news for the 14 families that remain in the high risk area," the director of council services in the region, Mr Peter Hynes, explained after the meeting with all 40 residents yesterday.
"The good news is that two-thirds of the householders affected can go back into their houses as of today.
"We cannot give any guarantees, only God could do that, but we have told 26 householders that they are now in a low to medium area of risk from further landslides and to that extent they can get back to some kind of normality.
"The 14 householders that remain in the high-risk category, have been told that further monitoring of the ground conditions are continuing and we hope within a week that that number can be further reduced," Mr Hynes explained.
Part of the main road linking Inver to Pollathomas remains closed as this section also remains in the high risk area. The cemeteries at Pollathomas, extensively damaged in the landslides, also remain closed to the public.
Mr Hynes explained that it is hoped with remedial work to have the graveyards and the road open again within a week or 10 days.
Continued ground movement is being detected around Dooncartin Mountain since the landslides of September 19th.
"Some of that movement is not as extensive as it was in the first number of days after the initial landslides," Mr Hynes continued.
"Some of the moving edge is now breaking down into smaller pieces and that makes its impact less of a problem."
Mr Brian Wilson was one of the 40 householders evacuated from his home since the landslides occurred. He is the chairman of a new residents' group formed to speak for those affected around Dooncartin Mountain. "We're all in a very emotional and upset state. It's a huge strain to be told to take your valuables and move out of your family home.
"You take your hopes and your dreams with you in such situations and this is what we have had to do over the past two weeks. Fourteen families remain in this situation and can only hope that some of them will get better news by next week," Mr Wilson explained.
"We want the President and the Taoiseach to see at first hand what has happened here and so we are inviting both to come down and visit us.
"This community needs humanitarian aid as homes and livelihoods have been destroyed in this disaster," Mr Wilson added.