The Irish Times

Sligo councillors have voted to delist a number of thatched cottages in the county despite being warned they would be "the laughing stock of the country". Research carried out in 2003 showed there were 33 thatched cottages left in Co Sligo, 21 of which were owner-occupied, mostly by older people. Senior planner Mr Brendan Carolan sympathised with councillors' concerns about the financial implications of having a property on the list of protected structures, given the lack of funding available from central Government for maintenance.