“If Fingal County Council can’t get its act together re the allocation of homes during the worst housing crisis this state has ever seen, I’d hate to see it in ‘normal times’” .
That’s the damning inditement of Aontú Cllr Ellen Troy who has said she is staggered to see two houses that have been totally refurbished following a fire still lying idle over two years on.
Cllr Troy says
“The houses on Fortlawn Avenue in Blanchardstown were boarded up together with a third that has since been turned around and occupied. This is just beyond belief at this stage. It would be hard to stomach at any time but we’re in the middle of a housing crisis, the worst we have ever experienced in this country.
I am absolutely appalled by this lack of urgency.
It is beyond exasperating that desperate families are doing all they can to find a roof over their heads, while two perfectly good houses, done up to a very high standard remain vacant.
I am blue in the face from asking the council why they have not put families in these homes and it has told me that people have been threatened and told not to take them.
I find this very, very hard to believe as I am in constant contact with locals in that area and they have absolutely refuted this. Local people have told me that they have been refused. What is going on. This is an utter disgrace and I am determined to get to the bottom of it.
I have repeatedly asked Fingal Co Co to update me on its progress, but I am still waiting.
I have also asked it to carry out an audit on all empty council homes in Dublin West and have done my utmost to keep up the pressure but still these houses remain idle while families are going through the nightmare of living in emergency accommodation, in hotels or in other places.
How much is it spending to accommodate the people who should be living in them?
If these were privately owned houses, they would be turned around in weeks. Delays like this would simply never happen; it wouldn’t make economic sense. However, when it comes to public housing, common sense and urgency goes out the window.”
We’re not just talking about buildings—we’re talking about potential homes for real people in crisis; families are living in hotel rooms, and people are sleeping on our streets. It’s inexcusable.”
The housing crisis is an absolute stain on our country and one that is going to cause huge societal issues down the line. People are traumatised by their experiences of being homeless and this is going to come back to bite in years to come”.
I am not going to rest on this issue. Fingal Co Co has an absolute duty to get cracking and carry out its remit. Homeless people deserve no less”.
