Kerry County Council engaging with management firm in wake of Killarney eviction notices

Housing director tells Kerry County Council members cost-rental and tenant-in-situ schemes are being looked at

Pupils of Scoil Bhríde, and residents of Loreto Chapel, Killarney: Brogan Kelly, Raisha and Raed Syuhadah, Lauren Kelly, and Rafa Syuhadah. Councillors said evictions would be 'disastrous'. Picture: Valerie O'Sullivan

Kerry County Council is engaging with the management company for a Cypriot investment company which has served eviction notices on 14 families in Killarney.

The mass evictions in Killarney was “only the start of it” — and the council and the Department of Housing had to develop a method of dealing with this, the monthly meeting of the council heard in Tralee.

Fourteen families at Loreto Chapel have received eviction notices. Some 13 children attend the nearby Loreto National School and make up around one-tenth of the rural school’s roll book.

“We are engaging with the management company. We will provide advice, support and assistance and we can arrange a specific clinic to explore supports,” housing director Niamh O’Sullivan told the meeting:

Cost-rental and tenant-in-situ schemes were being looked at, Ms O’Sullivan said.

“But this depends on the landlord selling to Kerry County Council,” the housing manager said.

Councillors: Evictions would be 'disastrous'

The matter was raised by Killarney councillor Maura Healy-Rae, who said: 

This is disastrous for the community. These people simply do not have an alternative. 

"There is a complete lack of affordable housing in Killarney. Some have said they will have no alternative but to return to their home countries,” Ms Healy-Rae said.

The Independent councillor’s call that the council approach housing bodies was seconded by Sinn Féin’s Deirdre Ferris.

Vulture funds “came in and preyed on the weak” and Ms Ferris feared now the properties would be sold to an other vulture fund. The Killarney evictions were only “the start of it,” with the changes to tenancy agreements, she sad.

Killarney councillor John O’Donoghue urged the council to “do everything possible”.

It’s very important the message goes out that the council is going to do everything they can. 

That companies could buy up so many houses in any housing development was very wrong, the Kerry Independent Alliance councillor added.

Meanwhile the landlord, Xerico, a Cypriot investment company, is likely to sell the properties individually, following valuations, some of the Loreto Chapel tenants have been informed.

This would give at least some of the families a chance to purchase their properties “and make a world of difference”, one of the tenants told the Irish Examiner.

Agents for Xerico, Home Club Ltd of Dublin has advised tenants to check their financial situations and go about applying for finance from the various schemes.

An extension has been given to one family to remain in their home after the deadline in their notice to quit.

Residents welcome chance to buy

River and Dale James, who were the first to receive an eviction notice and were to vacate No 1 Loreto Chapel in February, have been given until June 30, 2026.

The couple are guardians for retail manager Dale’s two young sisters aged 8 and 9 who attend the nearby Scoil Bhríde Loreto NS.

Fourteen families at the Loreto Chapel estate in Killarney face eviction. Picture: Valerie O'Sullivan

River James has welcomed the extension as well as the chance it offers them to buy their home of six years. Mr James, a software engineer, said: 

This could make a world of difference to many of us that are in a position to buy. 

The estate was originally built as a holiday home development around the Loreto convent girls boarding school and chapel.  He and others feared the houses were to be sold in a block — the 10 houses and four apartments were bought by the investment company in 2019.

“This is great news for many of us that are in a position to buy and, for those on Hap, the council could buy their homes,” Mr James said.

Two of the 14 tenants receive the housing assistance payment towards their rent, it is understood.

The families had asked Home Club Ltd, agents and property managers for Xerico to consider the welfare of the children.

Each family has written to the property managers outlining how difficult it will be for them to find alternative properties.

The families, who are from countries including Sri Lanka, Mexico, and Ireland — a chef, a college lecturer, software engineers, a hairdresser, a builder, a carer — say they will have no choice but to leave Killarney and Ireland as they have no family connections in Killarney and will have nowhere to go.

Killarney Municipal District cathaoirleach, councillor Martin Grady, has said the people living in Loreto Chapel would not qualify for social housing schemes being built in Killarney. He has been liaising with the council’s housing department.

• This article was funded by the Local Democracy Scheme