HSE liaising with ‘relevant authorities’ over squalid house

The HSE said it is liaising with the “relevant authorities” amid concerns for a young family who may have been living in squalor for months.

Specialist cleaning contractors moved in on the abandoned house in Passage West, Co Cork, to remove tonnes of rotting rubbish and hundreds of soiled nappies. The clean-up and fumigation could take up to a week to complete.

But as the work got under way, the residents of St Joseph’s Terrace said they have concerns for the welfare of the family, and in particular, the three young children, who lived in the house until last May.

The HSE declined to comment in detail on the case, citing confidentiality reasons. “The HSE South is aware of this issue and is liaising with the relevant authorities [regarding] same,” it said in a brief statement.

But local Cllr Seamus McGrath (FF) said the health authority has questions to answer about its level of involvement with the family over recent months. “A neighbour told me that she called to the local HSE office to raise concerns about the family — about unusual behaviour and about general concerns for the welfare of children,” he said.

“If that is the case, then what action was taken after that? Was there a follow-up? The HSE must clarify its role in relation to that.”

Neighbours are still baffled about why the family left the house in such a horrendous condition.

nThe downstairs rooms, hall, and stairs were littered with up to 4ft of rubbish;

nPart of the kitchen floor had been eaten away by rats;

nThe fridge was full of rotten food and was infested with maggots;

nHundreds of soiled nappies were found in a vast pile in an upstairs bedroom and in the bath.

Neighbours said the couple arrived in the area about six years ago and kept to themselves. They said the children always appeared well-dressed, well cared for and well-adjusted.

There was an issue with rubbish dumped in the front garden about 18 months ago, which was dealt with. The family then became more withdrawn. But the full extent of the squalor inside the house only came to light last Friday.

Mr McGrath said Cork County Council, which sold the house to the couple under a shared ownership scheme, will have to follow up on the case. He said the property will have to be made secure after the clean-up and any financial arrears will have to be assessed.

Labour TD Ciaran Lynch, chairman of the Oireachtas Environment Committee, which has responsibility for housing matters, also called for the setting up of a register of vacant properties.

He said it would allow the relevant local authority to move quickly to identify the owners and take the house in charge to prevent a repeat of this situation.