The plight of a woman with three young children facing homelessness after being served with a notice to vacate their rented property was heard at a meeting of Killarney Municipal Council.
Cllr Marie Moloney said the woman is distraught as she doesn’t want to go into a homeless shelter but she might have no option.
She said the number of tenants being given notice to quit their rental properties was “absolutely frightening”
“People I’ve met are actually crying and they are in desperation trying to find alternative accommodation,” she revealed.
“People are being turfed out and they have no place else to go. They are in an awful state. The situation is very bad in Killarney at the moment,” Cllr Moloney stated.
She acknowledged that some people are being offered homeless accommodation but that would necessitate them having to uproot their children from schools and she asked council officials what plans they had to help those who encounter such circumstances but want to remain in the areas in which they are living.
The council, in response, said the provision of homeless services continues to be challenging and the problems are complex.
The support structures available in the main towns, like Killarney, are essential in identifying and supporting exits from emergency accommodation.
Officials said the local authority has contract agreements with emergency accommodation service providers in Killarney, Tralee and Listowel which is sufficient to deal with and potential homeless situation that might arise in the county.
Council Housing officer, Brigid O’Riordan, said tenants facing eviction from private rented accommodation should firstly check to make sure the notice to quit is valid and make Kerry County Council or housing agency Threshold aware of their plight and they will talk to the landlord.
“It’s a challenge but we’re giving it our best efforts,” Ms O’Riordan said.
Killarney’s premier online news and advertising service. Call 087-2229761 or email news@killarneytoday.com
