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Tracy and her son Brendan.

'I'm at the end of my rope': Mother with severely disabled child desperately trying to find somewhere to live

Tracy McGinnis has said it is impossible to find a place to live with the Housing Assistance Payment.

A MOTHER WITH a severely disabled child has said that she is at the end of her rope as she cannot find a suitable place to live for her family on the Housing Assistance Payment.

Tracy McGinnis (51) lives with her two sons Declan (9) and Brendan Bjorn (12) in a partially unfinished house in north Kildare.

Brendan Bjorn was born with Congenital cytomegalovirus, a condition he contracted while still in the womb. He is severely disabled and as a result requires round the clock care.

Brendan can’t walk or talk, has severe epilepsy, cerebral palsy, osteoporosis and a range of other health issues. He requires specialist equipment for his needs.

His level of care is considered palliative, and he is not expected to live past 18.

As a result, Tracy put her career as a family therapist on hold in order to care for him full-time.

june-23 Brendan and Declan. Tracy McGinnis Tracy McGinnis

“He can’t sit up on his own, can’t hold anything, he can’t itch, he can’t roll over – he’s complete physically disabled,” she told TheJournal.ie.

Tracy said that the house they are living in is highly unsuitable for Brendan.

His school is in Celbridge, which is about a 45 minute drive from where the family live.

“That’s just too long for him, he gets sick if we spend too long in the car,” said Tracy.

She said Brendan gets pressure sores – areas of damaged skin from staying in the one place for too long. As a result, travelling long distances in the car is very bad for him.

“It’s imperative that we move closer to Celbridge,” she said.

brendan-22-april-2 Brendan is fully immobile and requires round the clock care. Tracy McGinnis Tracy McGinnis

The family would also be closer to Tallaght as a result where Brendan’s paediatrician and specialist are located, and Crumlin where he has his orthopaedician.

As well as the distance, Tracy said that the private rental home in which her family are currently living is unsuitable for Brendan’s needs.

She moved in their with the boys just before Christmas as a result of relationship  breakdown, but said that the family needed to find a new home.

It’s just not fit… long-term.

HAP

Tracy said she was recently accepted on Kildare County Council’s housing waiting list, but was told that it could take up to 15 years or longer before her family can get a home.

She has been approved to receive the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) in order to help her secure a home, but has found it impossible to find a place within the price limits.

HAP is a form of social housing support that is paid to private landlords by local councils on behalf of tenants.

Tracy said she is permitted to a limit of €1050 per month under HAP, but she said that the kind of home she needs for Brendan (a bungalow that is wheelchair accessible) is almost impossible to find.

The suitable homes she does find are generally in the region of €2000 per month or more.

Tracy said she has been to numerous viewings where there are crowds of people to see a home. She has also been told by landlords that they won’t accept HAP (which is illegal to do).

HAP has come under strong opposition criticism in recent times, with TDs saying it is not suitable to meet people’s long -term housing needs.

11249707_10205047103712959_8705629686830321986_n-2 Brendan and Declan. Tracy McGinnis Tracy McGinnis

“With the rental market as competitive as it is out there landlords can pick and choose and they’re thinking money,” she said.

“They’re going to choose a working couple who have a secure high paying income coming in as compared to someone who presents saying they have HAP.

“They don’t take the time listen to the fact that I am responsible person and I have a Master’s degree. I have had to take a career break for the last number of years so I can care for my son.

Especially as his condition has declined in the past couple of years. It’s not a sympathetic market, it’s a market based solely on money

Security

Tracy said that she wants security for her and her two sons, but that she feels she has been let down by the State. On top of the housing issue, Brendan is on a waiting list for a spinal fusion operation Tracy said he needs as a matter of urgency.

bb-in-hospital-may-18 Brendan sleeping. Tracy McGinnis Tracy McGinnis

“In one corner I’m fighting to get a suitable safe secure long terms housing for us – in the other I’m fighting for the spinal fusion to happen sooner,” she said.

She is not sure if she will be able to remain in her current home for much longer, and does not know what will happen is she can’t find someplace to live.

She has appealed for help from her local representatives to help her find some means of securing a property that is suitable for her family.

Her nine-year-old son Declan has also been upset by the situation. Tracy also suffers from arthritis and lives with chronic pain every day. She battles with depression and is on antidepressants.

“I deal with anxiety issues and I deal with depression, I would love to be able to see a counsellor once in a while but I just can’t afford it,” she said.

I feel like I’m at the end of my rope.

You can read more about Tracy on her blog Transitioning Angels 

Read: ‘Everyone’s been saying to me don’t give it back… I kept saying it’s only a house at the end of the day’

Read: ‘I fought to get clean and to get where I am today’: New apartments in Dublin give hope to homeless people

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53 Comments
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    Mute Brian harris
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    Aug 7th 2018, 9:25 AM

    The cherry on the cake is Saudi are on the UN council for human rights. Money talks folks.

    539
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    Mute Jim Ni Suilleabhain
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    Aug 7th 2018, 10:51 AM

    @Brian harris:
    It’s a phuckin joke isn’t it.

    Israel sum to be pulling an Israel. Slaughtering and murdering thousands of people in Yemen, bullying those who object, and meddling in the affairs of other nations.

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    Mute Brian harris
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    Aug 7th 2018, 5:48 PM

    @Jim Ni Suilleabhain: True Jim. Israel and Saudi seem to be close allies led by the yanks and brits who supply the weapons.

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    Mute George Vladisavljevic
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    Aug 7th 2018, 9:37 AM

    Well done Canada. About time that somebody tells Saudi Arabia what they think of them.

    Perhaps the next step should be is the stopping the sale of weapons to them as well.

    428
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    Mute George Vladisavljevic
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    Aug 7th 2018, 1:34 PM

    “Trudeau argues that sale of more than 900 armoured vehicles is in line with Canada’s foreign and defense policies”

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/21/justin-trudeau-defends-canada-arms-sales-to-saudi-arabia

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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Aug 7th 2018, 11:37 PM

    @George Vladisavljevic: And Israel is giving the Saudis plans on how to build a nuclear power plant with plans on how to build nukes, Israel probably get hit by those nukes first???

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    Mute Kevin Sweeney
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    Aug 8th 2018, 12:44 AM

    @George Vladisavljevic: Trudeau parks his principles so as not to get in the way of business and Real Politics

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    Mute Anthony Gallagher
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    Aug 7th 2018, 9:27 AM

    Its time the Saudis came out from living in the Dark ages ,Human rights go beyond borders and sovereignty.Canada should be supported by all believers in democracy and civil liberties

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    Mute Jay Coleman
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    Aug 7th 2018, 10:18 AM

    @Anthony Gallagher: the 10,000 or so princes would prefer if they don’t. That way they can spend their billions of dollars on fast cars, prostitutes, drugs and other excesses while in Europe while telling their people what they can and cannot do back home.
    Someday their people will realize that while they’ve been prostrating themselves before Allah their leaders have been indulging all the things they claim are evil symptoms of western countries.

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    Mute Franny Mac
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    Aug 7th 2018, 9:03 AM

    Hopefully the Canadians don’t retaliate with similar measures lest they be accused of a Muslim ban.

    213
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    Mute Sean Conway
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    Aug 7th 2018, 9:09 AM

    How many immigrants has the US backed saudis taken in since the conflict started. none.

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    Mute Ian James Burgess
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    Aug 7th 2018, 10:41 AM

    Are these the same people taking over Waterford?

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    Mute Donal
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    Aug 7th 2018, 10:11 AM

    Time to shut down all contact with Saudis and kick them out of every civilized country. They are responsible for terrible atrocities and funding IS.

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    Mute David Knight
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    Aug 7th 2018, 10:41 AM

    Saudi Arabia – “If you criticise us, there will be consequences.”
    Canada – “Ok, Eff Off.”

    Except the Canadians are way to polite to give this response..

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    Mute andrew
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    Aug 7th 2018, 2:17 PM

    @David Knight: And way too compromised by their sale of arms to Saudi

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    Mute Toby Thedogk
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    Aug 7th 2018, 12:48 PM

    Europe needs to stand firm with the canadians. I believe that leo has asked the powers in brussels to unfriend them on facebook – that will teach them not to threaten another 9 11 on our friends.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Aug 7th 2018, 1:56 PM

    @Toby Thedogk: Saudi Arabia threatened another 9/11?

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    Mute Irish Bob
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    Aug 7th 2018, 2:36 PM

    @Dave O Keeffe: Not sure what was meant there either .. But Bin Laden and his Contruction Empire family were/are Saudi’s and current Saudi Dictator, who Obama even went to congragulate on his corranation, was the chief cheque writer for ISIS.

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    Mute Toby Thedogk
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    Aug 7th 2018, 3:31 PM

    @Dave O Keeffe: yesterday they posted a picture of a plane about to hit a canadian building on an official saudi twitter account. Since deleted. Western media must have been told to not to report it.

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    Mute Brian Smith
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    Aug 7th 2018, 2:16 PM

    Why don’t the left wing groups protest as much outside Saudi or Turkish embassy’s or visits, as much as they would Trump?

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Aug 7th 2018, 1:55 PM

    Why would ANYONE in their right mind ever want to even consider this medieval country,

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    Mute Denis McClean
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    Aug 7th 2018, 12:21 PM

    Saudi diplomacy – No-one talks about anything.- except US.

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Aug 7th 2018, 9:01 AM

    Fu.ck Saudi Arabia I say, much prefer Russian petrol anyway.

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    Mute Irish Bob
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    Aug 7th 2018, 2:33 PM

    Saudis are not evil .. America says so .

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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Aug 7th 2018, 11:34 PM

    @Irish Bob: Wahhabism was invented there instead of soccer, says everything about kicking a wife about instead of a ball as a past time?

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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Aug 7th 2018, 11:35 PM

    @Irish Bob: The US is acting now more like Babylon than the Babylonians were lol.

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    Mute Clear And Graphic
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    Aug 7th 2018, 7:02 PM

    “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” So a said Edmund Burke.

    At least Canada spoke up. The rotten Irish elected in our Dail, are either too cowardly to speak up or too busy with their political games, to do the right thing. Meanwhile women’s rights suffer still.

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    Mute Skybloo
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    Aug 7th 2018, 3:52 PM

    World has gone into crazy chaos …. all these toys being thrown out of all these prams.

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