People facing homelessness in Killarney 'literally begging' for housing

Kerry councillors told tenants were being served with notices to quit from landlords leaving market, while other refuse to accept Hap payments

More than 1,000 people are still on the housing list for Killarney Municipal District. Picture: Don MacMonagle

People are facing homelessness in Killarney and are “literally begging” local representatives to find houses for them, a Kerry council has been told.

Councillors were told the problem was with “notices to quit”, with houses being sold or reserved for owners' families. The tenants have nowhere to go as landlords are not entertaining Hap (Housing Assistance Payment).

Just four houses were available for long-term rental on Daft.ie in Killarney on Wednesday. There were a record 82 presentations comprising families and single people to the Homeless Information Centre of Kerry County Council last year, according to figures released by the council housing department to Labour councillor Marie Moloney.

She said 26 clients/families had been placed in emergency accommodation, but it was not clear what had become of the remainder.

“People are being asked to quit houses — for the reason the house is being sold. Landlords are not accepting Hap," Ms Moloney said.

“In the last two days, I’ve had two more enquiries literally begging us to find a place for them.” she said. 

More than 1,000 people are still on the housing list for Killarney Municipal District, and demand is not going down, despite great strides in social housing in the town, the meeting also heard.

The lists would be shorter were there affordable houses available, councillors said. It is “an abomination” that two people working and paying their taxes could not afford a house in Killarney, Cllr John O’Donoghue said.

Five apartments for social housing were to be built in Flemings Lane in Killarney town centre, as a result of the review, and the new housing plan to be brought before the council shortly would see further infill sites, senior executive officer in housing, Ger O’Brien said.

“No stone” is being left unturned in Killarney to identify sites where houses may be built, Mr O’Brien said.

This article is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme