Mayo council official suggests holiday home boycott amid housing crisis

A council official has suggested a boycott of holiday homes in Mayo in response to the housing crisis.

Director of services for housing and roads at Mayo County Council Tom Gilligan said he was not trying to “demonise” holiday home owners but added “all options” need to be examined amid a shortage of homes.

His proposal suggested refusing engagement with holiday home owners and a public campaign on the issue.

The suggestion, first reported on by the Irish Independent, was sent on Sunday night to the council’s housing strategic policy committee, made up of seven councillors and four non-elected members.

Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Gilligan defended the proposal saying that holiday homes in Co Mayo could be vacant for up to 11 months of the year.

There are 5,987 holiday homes in Mayo, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

“In the middle of a housing crisis, we need homes for people, not just for seasons,” he told RTE’s Morning Ireland.

“So the idea around that, the objective around this proposed boycott is to highlight the impact of underused housing stock on local communities, encourage policy reform and taxation measures on vacant second homes.”

He said the idea was also to encourage holiday home owners to sell or rent their home.

“I’m not trying to demonise holiday home owners here, I’m not trying to blame anyone in relation to this but we are in the middle of a housing crisis.”

He referenced the origins of the word “boycott”, which comes from Co Mayo locals who refused to serve or work for English landlord Captain Charles Boycott in 1880.

“We are in the middle of a housing crisis, it’s very important that we look at all options,” he said.

Mayo County Council said in a statement that the proposals were part of an internal discussion document in response to the Strategic Policy Committee’s request for a policy around holiday homes.

“No policy has been formulated or adopted by Mayo County Council. The document does not reflect the official position of Mayo County Council.”