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DISCUSSION AROUND IRELAND’S homelessness and housing crises is at fever pitch at present, and a case has emerged today that seems to suggest the problems in the sector are coming to a head.
George Chalkley, a former welder, is 80 years old. He lost his right leg last December and is currently living on his daughter Margaret’s couch.
The council house in question in Ballymun is currently being shared by seven people, including a baby.
Margaret has applied to Dublin City Council (DCC) for the installation of a small extension at the back of her house where she hopes to install a single bed for her father.
But the minimum she and her father can expect to wait for the extension is two years due to a lack of funding according to DCC, despite George being a level one medical priority.
“His other leg will go eventually as well, we’re trying to keep it as long as we can but I can’t do that with him living on my couch,” Margaret told Joe Duffy’s Liveline on RTE radio yesterday afternoon.
I just think it’s cruel to leave him like that.
George had two toes removed last year, but when the surgery was deemed a failure he had his entire right leg amputated.
“I took him in because the hospital wanted to put him into a nursing home, and he’s too full of life and too much of a character for that, so I took him in,” said Margaret.
All we want is a small extension, a bed and a chest of drawers, but they keep telling me we’ll be waiting two years because they’ve no funding.
He’s been in that chair seven months and he only had his first shower 3 weeks ago, and I had to get onto a TD to make that happen. DCC have approved us yet no-one has ever come out to assess the situation.
There’s no way he can sleep in my sitting room for two years, that’s for sure.
A letter received by Margaret from DCC asserts that while George’s case is a “high (level 1) priority”, the current waiting list is approximately two years “due to the volume of approved cases on the waiting list”.
“The waiting time may increase if there is any decline in funding for the scheme,” the letter continues.
No indication can be given when the works may commence until all the other cases have been dealt with.
Meanwhile, the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) has today published its pre-budget submission for 2016 with a keen emphasis placed on finding a solution to the housing crisis.
The submission puts distinct emphasis on long-term solutions as opposed to short term wins.
Suggested measures include:
“In order to address the acute housing issues we currently face in Ireland, we must see an increase in housing supply and an acceptance that social housing requires adequate funding on an ongoing basis,” said Donal McManus, CEO of the ICSH.
There are currently almost 90,000 households on waiting lists for social housing. In addition, there are 531 families and 3,095 individual adults in emergency accommodation.
Clearly, the housing sector in Ireland is facing major challenges, and Budget 2016 presents a real opportunity for Government to address these in a sustainable, strategic and long-term way.
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Another potentially government collapse posted by the journal at midnight…
@Joseph Mc Dermott: dramatic much?
@Sean D: na, not really
The more I hear about GDPR and personal information , the more annoyed I become about these tags being used to cover people’s tracks! To claim that this information could “adversely affect public security” because perhaps vandalism might happen is as believable as a child telling teacher that “the dog ate my homework”. It points to someone covering up for someone!
@Dave Phelan: It smells of the State deliberately withholding information that directly impacts the lives of local communities under the spurious heading of ‘GDPR’.
This is serious, total bs from DOE and DOA,
Heads have to roll
@Joseph Mc Dermott: sooner noonan is gone the better
People use these waterways, we have a right to know what’s happening in them, in the intrest of health and safety. More underhand work by this government.
DOA sit right next to govt offices on the Kildare St side, they’ve always acted like the kings. We ditched kings à long time ago. The arrogance from this administration is unreal. The swagger in Dohneys after a weeks hard slog doing not much in the most ugly building on Kildare is obvious. I write this based on past experience.
@SPQH: Charlie has to go…malcom has to go… the government has to go.. full stop..let the voters decide
Government bodies Hiding behind GDPR again. GDPR is supposed to to protect citizens personal info. In reality it allows shoddy departments and companies to withhold vital info from the public.
Absolutely disgraceful.
Releasing this in the middle of the night. Who says the media and the government aren’t in cahoots. Open your eyes people. Lies, damn lies and statistics. FFG Out.
@Daniel Gilroy: it’s the Journal’s Forte,, they have been doing it for years,,, I believe that they will not get over this one.
And Eamonn Ryan is ok with this….or is too engrossed in his window vegetable boxes to notice?
@Sandra Molloy: SSSSSSSSSSSSSShhhh!, He’s sleeping!
Quelle surprise!
This constant drip of stories about agriculture is becoming boring. Orchestrated almost. Now let’s do one on pollution from Pharma, local authorities, aviation or data centres. No? Why’s that?
@HMurphy: Agriculture is responsible for nearly half our national carbon footprint so I see no issue with it releasing half the sustainability spotlight… however such is its political power, it’s hardly a whimper, and obscure midnight articles.
@Glen OhAilpin: *receiving half
@Glen OhAilpin: I call back on that stat.. no way does farming do more damage than cars and trucks.. absolutely no way
@HMurphy: When water restrictions kick in, due to drought and long dry weather spells. I hope you will be on here, moaning about why some of our water is undrinkable or polluted and then I can tell you GFY. These individuals, need to be exposed and we need to know what they are doing with the water after using it.
Ffg the people that have big wealth farming industries on a pedestal at the expense of or children’s future .
How dare they think they can hide critical information from the public, or more importantly, the scientific community.
Whatever about industry, it will survive as it’s a huge part of the economy. Farming and especially small scale farming will no longer be with us in 20 or 30 years. If I was in full time farming now I’d be thinking of something else for my children.
@quacquac 51: Farming is a huge part of Ireland’s economy, not industry.
@Pat Barry: it’s around 10% not that much
@michael walsh: According to gov.ie it accounts for 60% of indigenous manufactured exports.
Farmers, ppl who drive cars, holiday makers, ppl who burn turf…..is there anyone we haven’t blamed for climate change yet. The mob screaming save the planet and demanding punishment and taxes are as crazy as the crowd who spent two years during covid happy to have ppl locked in their houses and wearing masks to bed. There’s no level headed grown-up thinking with climate change, it’s basically two sides for and against and both are as crazy as one another. Guess what, the only losers will once again be the joe soap tax payers who will have to foot the bills for fines or pay more taxes and charges cos that is the answer to everything these days
@Tom Newell: If somebody doesn’t see all things can be true whether you like them or not. If you are so sure I suggest you go into a garage close the door and start your car. You will be fine as they don’t pollute
Oh how unequal the scales of ‘justice’ and ‘Democracy are. If I use my garden hose during a ban, I get fined and possibly imprisoned. Are these guys not doing something a trillion times worse and the law and ‘Democracy’ protects them. Are they even being charged for the quantities they steal.
So basically the civil service is a buffer between business sector and the public. If so let the business sectors pay their salaries.
Who’d have thought they could commercialise the weather, but there ya go, the yanks did, well played Al Gore. What’s next to sell to the masses? Shares in paper must be rising seeing USA are yet again printing more money to keep them afloat. 30 trillion more please sir!
“Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” comes to mind.
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