Co Clare residents defy order to leave homes

Families living in a housing development in Co Clare have pledged to remain in their homes despite being given just days by receivers to leave the properties on health and safety grounds.

Residents of Abbey West Cottages in Bellharbour reacted to a letter, hand-delivered to them earlier this week by people acting on behalf of receivers, Ernst and Young, to the invitation to leave.

In the letter, from E&Y’s Cork office, residents were asked to leave by or at noon yesterday, as the properties were “in breach of certain health and safety standards“. E&Y added the situation was “regrettable”.