A fire broke out on Monday night at a site in Ballina that had been designated for social housing development, reports RTE.
Some locals on social media say that “locals feel safer” after a fire in a building they say rumours suggested that it was earmarked for a migrant centre.
However, politicians in the area say that it was earmarked for social housing.
The blaze occurred at the former Duffy’s Bakery premises on Foxford Road in Ballina on Monday evening.
❌BREAKING❌
Footage emerges of a building proposed as a huge migrant centre in Ballina, Mayo, up in flames tonight.
It’s been burned to the ground 🔥 pic.twitter.com/eWllAc8M5j— TheLiberal.ie (@TheLiberal_ie) July 21, 2025
Emergency services, including gardaí and firefighters, responded to the incident around 9.15pm. The fire was brought under control later that night, reports RTE.
Mayo County Council confirmed that the location was solely planned to accommodate individuals from the local authority’s social housing list.
Online misinformation had incorrectly claimed the site was intended for International Protection applicants, reports RTE.
According to the council, the proposed project included 31 own-door apartments and the renovation of terraced homes at 5 to 7 Raheen Row.
The buildings impacted by the fire were the terraced houses located on Raheen Row.
“This development was intended to provide own door accommodation for the growing section of the population who are seeking one- and two-bedroom units located within walking distance of the town centre, with the facilities and services that come with such a location,” reports RTE.
“At their July meeting held last week, the elected members of the Ballina Municipal District approved the development of the scheme which would have provided 31 new homes to families and persons on the housing list. At present there are 631 on the housing list in the Ballina Municipal District,” the council stated, reports RTE.
Mayo County Council’s housing division is now evaluating the extent of the fire’s impact.
They are also reviewing the viability of moving forward with the scheme and reassessing the timeline to deliver these “much needed homes” to those on the list, reports RTE.
Traffic control will remain near the affected area until full structural evaluations are completed.
The site has been secured and a technical analysis will be carried out in due course, reports RTE.
Gardaí confirmed there were no reported injuries.
An investigation into what caused the fire is now underway, reports RTE.
Catherine McConnell, Director of Services at Mayo County Council, called the fire damage “disappointing.”
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, she said that two of the buildings sustained significant damage, while a third was affected by heat and smoke, reports RTE.
Ms McConnell firmly dismissed claims that the building was ever intended for asylum seeker accommodation.
“I can absolutely confirm that was never the intended plan for this site. The council purchased these properties in 2023 solely for the intention of providing new housing units to meet our growing housing list in the Ballina area. There was never, ever a plan or proposal to use these for anything other than homes for our own people,” reports RTE.
She also noted that no objections were lodged during the public consultation phase for the development.
The council is now reviewing the feasibility, budget, and timeline for developing the site following the fire, reports RTE.
“It will cost additional money because the building now has to be thoroughly assessed, the damaged materials have to be removed and we then have to readjust our tenders to see what it will cost to deliver the proposal, which we do intend to go ahead with.
“But this has certainly set back the timelines and probably increased the costs that are associated with providing these 31 units,” reports RTE.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
