It is shameful to make our elderly homeless

The number of families and elderly people facing eviction and being forced to leave their private rented accommodation in Cork county and city is staggering.

Yesterday I spoke to a mother of three who faces eviction from the flat she and her family have lived in for seven years. Apart from having nowhere to live at present, the family faces all the stress of changing schools with all the associated trauma.

Another example is that of a retired man aged 72 and his wife in her 60s who last week faced eviction from their home of 18 years because they would have security of tenure if they lived there a year longer. I also met another lady, aged 69, who was recently forced to move out of private accommodation she had been in for some time into a B&B. She died within a short time.

In Cork, we have little activity in the area of co-operative or voluntary housing schemes compared to other parts of the country.

The Simon Community has also commented on the effect of this crisis on the elderly. A new group of homeless people is being created.

Cllr Noel Collins

“St. Jude’s”

Midleton

Co Cork