King family housing case
Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the case of the King family, who had been living in a tent and were moved into emergency accommodation but were told they may have to leave. The Minister said he had engaged directly with the Deputy and the family, that he is working with Tipperary County Council, and that social housing income limits will be changed this year.
I brought to public attention the outrageous case of Patricia and Graham King and their two children, who were sleeping in a tent in Nenagh because they were over the income threshold and therefore not even entitled to emergency accommodation, never mind housing assistance payment, HAP, or social housing. There was subsequently a flurry of publicity – television appearances and so on. That obviously shamed the Government and Tipperary County Council into offering them emergency accommodation, which they moved into in Cashel. This morning I talked to Graham, who told me they are being told to leave by next Tuesday. A homeless family with children is being evicted from homeless accommodation because of the income threshold and the failure of the Government to raise the threshold, which the Minister is now planning to outsource to consultants for yet another review. I got a letter from the Minister.
Comment on this
I engaged with the Deputy specifically on this case and I met with Graham as well. I do not want to talk about specific instances. There are complexities in that too.
We are engaging directly with Tipperary County Council and will continue to do so. I wrote to the Deputy earlier this week in that regard.
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I am quoting the letter. I have it here. There are no answers.
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I have spoken to the Deputy directly about the social housing limits. I have told him what is happening. We are going to change the social----
Comment on this
Gabh mo leithscéal. Nóiméad amháin. The social housing income limits will be changed this year. The Deputy knows that.
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This year.
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This year. The Deputy knows that. I have told him that.
Comment on this
It is not what it says in the letter.