Women arrested after sit-in at council offices
By Mary Dennehy
ON Monday, two women were arrested after they allegedly staged a sit-in and refused to leave South Dublin County Council’s homeless unit.
The Echo understands that one of the women became homeless with her partner and four children after their landlord took back their private-rented accommodation.
The women were arrested at council offices
Speaking with The Echo, Tallaght South Sinn Fein councillor Dermot Richardson said that since losing their home the family has been living in B&B emergency accommodation, which they claim is not suitable for their children – the youngest of whom is two months old.
According to Cllr Richardson, the family returned to the main reception area of the council offices on Tuesday and that they spent from 11am until 5pm trying to secure them a place to stay.
“I rang every hotel, all of my own contacts, landlords, estate agents and Focus [Ireland] were looking as well… there was nothing,” Cllr Richardson said.
“I ended up getting them a short-stay place in Wicklow.
“They have a car, so will travel each day to Dublin for school.”
He added: “This self-accommodation is not working.
“Focus is doing their best and so is the council but many homeless families don’t have the facilities to be ringing around trying to home themselves for the night, they don’t have the [phone] credit.
Unsuitable for their children
“Also, a lot of places want you out in the morning so there’s nowhere for families to go during the day… with this family claiming that the accommodation they were given was unsuitable for their children.”
Cllr Richardson believes that the system needs to be changed, especially HAP [Housing Assisted Payment].
“[This family] are at breaking point,” Cllr Richardson said.
“There is simply not enough supply and I believe that everybody on the housing list should be set up on Homeless HAP.
“The rent rate for Homeless HAP is higher, so obviously landlords are taking Homeless HAP over normal HAP as it’s the higher payment.
“I know some may argue that this will push up rents, but rents are already going up and landlords are not taking normal HAP… it’s a system that needs to be looked at.”
Cllr Richardson has lodged a motion on Homeless Hap, which is due to be discussed at the next council meeting.
When contacted about the arrests at County Hall on Monday, a Garda spokesperson said: “Gardai in Tallaght were called to an incident on Monday June 11 at approximately 1pm where two females were asked to leave a government premises.
“[They] refused, so gardai arrested and conveyed them to Tallaght Garda Station.
“[They] were later released… charged with obstruction to peace and trespassing.”
When contacted, South Dublin County Council said that it’s policy is not to comment on individual cases.
TAGS Tallaght
