Stagnant water and drug use at former Portumna Hotel

Locals have made yet another call this week for something to be done with the former Shannon Oaks Hotel in Portumna.
They have complained about stagnant water and drug use in the premises, a sad state of affairs for what was once a thriving hotel which acted as the focal point of the local community and wider area, as an employment hub, and an entertainment hub.
Last week the Galway East TD Louis O’Hara called for “urgent action” to address what he called the “dangerous condition” of the hotel. The Sinn Féin TD said the building closed in 2011, and is now “an eyesore”, a safety risk for the community and a site for anti-social behaviour.
“I am regularly contacted by local residents,” he said, “concerned that its current condition poses a serious health and safety risk to the local community. The site is not secured, and it is accessible to anyone who wishes to enter, with gaps regularly appearing in the hoarding. I have been informed that the site is being entered on a regular basis, attracting anti-social behaviour.”
The Shannon Oaks page on Facebook pointed out that the hotel once made a great profit and it could do so once again.
The site is owned by the Comer Brothers who applied for planning permission to tackle the site, and received it, in March 2020. This planning permission is due to expire on March 29 next.
The Shannon Oaks page listed some of the problems with premises. These include, the Leisure Centre Swimming Pool is filled with stagnant water; and used drug syringes are to be found around the building.
There is a number of apartments beside the premises which the Comer Brothers are leasing to a Rental Agency.
The hotel was very badly damaged by an accidental fire in September 2011. It has remained closed since then. When it was bought by the Comer Brothers in 2015 there was hope that at long last building work would commence and Portumna would get back its cherished hotel, but sadly this hasn't happened.
“We have been told before by a number of politicians,” said the Shannon Oaks page, “that you cannot tell a Private Owner / Company what to do with their property. We beg to differ with this unsatisfactory response. You can encourage, cajole, offer assistance, offer grants, see what they need; or derelict list it again and impose fines; or impose a CPO. Lots of investment is being made in Portumna and of course we are most grateful but this is the one piece of investment that is most needed and will turn the area around and raise it to a different level. Let's get people around the table urgently, bearing in mind that planning is expiring at the end of March.”