Limerick woman shares student digs with her mother and sister after they were evicted 

Christine and Dawn both have disabilities

Sarah Buckley with her family, Chris, Dawn and Niamh Buckley, who share a student accommodation in Rhebogue, Limerick. Picture: Brian Arthur

A Limerick woman has told how she is having to share her student accommodation with her mother and sister, both of whom have disabilities, after they were both evicted when they fell behind on their rent.

Sarah Buckley (25) says her mother Christine (53) and sister Dawn (28) “have been completely forgotten about” by society after they were made homeless last year.

The pair have slept in Sarah’s room, in shared student accommodation, for the last five months after they were denied help from Limerick’s Homeless Action Team, due to the fact they were in arrears on their previous rental.

Sarah says they don’t deny the rental arrears, but says her mother, who only earns €203 a week disability allowance, couldn’t afford to keep up with the rent due to high electricity costs, among other bills.

“They are completely disconnected from society because they're just alone. If you met them, you could see it in them. In the way they carry themselves. They’re quiet, they're lovely, but they've given up,” said Sarah.

According to Sarah, her sister Dawn has an undiagnosed genetic syndrome and her mother suffered from a series of strokes when she was younger.

Due to the nature of Dawn’s diagnosis, Christine has been unable to claim carers allowance, meaning they have had to survive on €203 each a week.

“They tried to get help from Limerick’s Homeless Action Team but they refused to offer their services because they said she was evicted due to arrears and that's her own fault, so she was deemed ineligible for their services.

“They had no choice after that but to start paying for hotels. They were living off of pot noodles and bread. That was from April to September, and then a family member took them in,” Sarah said.

Sarah’s mother and sister then stayed with family until November, until circumstances arose that meant that was no longer an option. Due to the Covid restrictions, they were unable to find a hotel meaning Sarah’s mother and sister both ended up staying with her.

“That’s been the hardest part so far. For five months they’ve been sleeping on my bedroom floor on a mattress. I have been living with four students. They like to party and there is nothing wrong with that. But my mother and sister have been through a lot over the last year, especially my sister. She is hypersensitive because of her condition,” she said.

Sarah says that Limerick’s Homeless Action Team said if they made efforts to repay the rent which was owed, they would be able to offer assistance. However, she says that a lack of engagement from their previous landlord has made this impossible.

A spokesperson for Limerick City and County Council said they do not comment on individual cases but added that it is the policy of Limerick’s Homeless Action Team as directed by Section 10 of the Housing Act that a person is ineligible if they have rent arrears in their previous accommodation (except where a payment plan was in place with the landlord and payments are being made), or they have been evicted from their previous accommodation due to anti-social behaviour or for non-payment of rent.