Housing: Less emotion more emergency

A 71-year-old man known as Frank was interviewed onRTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland recently. He was due to enter emergency accommodation the following week because his landlord was selling the flat in which he lived.

The December 15 interview was heart-rending. Frank had lost contact with his family, and was paying the rent of €1,150 through his pension and doing odd jobs. Now he was out on the street.

Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty, on the programme on an unrelated issue, expressed her anger at what was occurring.