West Cork woman, 88, faces looming prospect of homelessness

Jennifer Marley, 88, has just weeks to find a home as calls grow for urgent action from Cork County Council

Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins with Bantry resident Jennifer Marley who is facing homelessness in a matter of weeks.

An 88-year-old woman in West Cork is facing the looming prospect of homelessness with just one month to go before she must vacate her rented accommodation.

After receiving a notice to quit, Jennifer Marley from Bantry registered for social housing some time ago and is actively seeking assistance from Cork County Council.

But with no suitable accommodation being offered and the clock ticking, she fears being forced into emergency homeless accommodation or a nursing home.

Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins raised Ms Marley's case in the Dáil, saying homeless accommodation is not suitable for someone like her, and since she is capable of living independently, a lack of housing should not force her into a nursing home.

Nor, he added, should she be made to leave the locality she has long called home.

"This woman is part of the fabric of our community — and now, at 88, she is being abandoned," said Mr Collins.

"We cannot continue to treat elderly Irish citizens with such contempt."

Taoiseach Micheál Martin responded to Ms Marley's case after it was raised in the Dáil, requesting that her details be passed on for further engagement. He said it should be possible to accommodate her in a council house.

Having met Ms Marley last week, Mr Collins said she was deeply upset about the uncertainty of her future.

"She just wants a simple little home, that is all she is asking," he said.

Ms Marley’s situation has been further complicated by her status as a UK national, having moved to Ireland in the 1950s. According to Mr Collins, this fact has caused bureaucratic delays in processing her emergency housing request.

Her sons are seriously concerned that their mother could be left without a roof over her head.

"They have been trying to help their mother in any way they can but the badly broken housing system is not leaving them much hope," said Mr Collins.

He said the case reflects a housing crisis that has long since spiralled out of control — one that is failing citizens, both young and old.

Ms Marley’s case comes as houisng minister James Browne announced a raft of measures aimed at addressing the rental sector earlier this month. 

Mr Browne has received Cabinet approval to extend current rent pressure zones into a nationwide rent control system, with legislation to be introduced in the coming weeks.

The new national system will cap rent increases at the rate of inflation. However, in times of high inflation, increases for most tenancies will be limited to a maximum of 2%.

The changes will also end ‘no-fault evictions’ for larger landlords — those with four or more tenancies — who will no longer be able to terminate a tenancy where the tenant has met their obligations, except in very limited circumstances.

All landlords will still have the right to end a tenancy if the tenant breaches their obligations or if the dwelling is no longer suitable for the tenant household.