Single mother facing eviction stages City Hall sit-in

A single mother-of-five, who is facing eviction from her home, says she will stage a sit-in protest at City Hall in Limerick every day until the Council gives her a new home.

Single mother facing eviction stages City Hall sit-in

A single mother-of-five, who is facing eviction from her home, says she will stage a sit-in protest at City Hall in Limerick every day until the Council gives her a new home.

Grace Healy said her local authority told her she was "not a priority" for entitlement to a Council home, even though she has been told to vacate her property by a bank, after the house went into receivership.

Grace, 34, who said she has worked all her life and is "not a sponger", had to give up work to care for her youngest child.

She said she can pay the €675 rent on her current home through the Rent Allowance Scheme, but the current owners have told her they want sell it.

Grace, who is separated, said she was told to move out of the house by November 2, 2014, but has stayed over in the property because she has nowhere else to go.

She said local TDs have told her she will not be a priority for local authority housing because she has not been on the council's waiting list up until now.

Staging a sit-in protest at the housing department of Limerick City and County Council, she said: "I have no intention of leaving here until I get an answer on when I can get a house for my children. I'm on my own and looking after five kids."

"I was told by the Council to bring the kids to a local hostel, but I don't want to have my kids living in a hostel. They deserve a home where we can all be together."

Grace said her kids, aged 13, 11, nine, seven and five, are now feeling the stress of the situation.

"The Council said I'm not a high priority. The bank are sending me letters everyday telling me to go.

"I'm currently living in in a four-bedroom house but I'm willing to downsize to a three bedroom house for the six of us.

"I asked the Council would they buy the house from the owner and they said they didn't have the funds," she added.

"I'm not expecting a house today or tomorrow but you'd think I would at least be given some hope.

"The Council are offering me none. I'll actually have to be homeless before they'll even speak to me, and then I don't even know what they can do for me."

In response Limerick City and County Council said: "The Homelessness Unit, involving Limerick City and County Council, the HSE and the Department of Social Protection is happy to engage with any individual that is homeless or at risk of homelessness."

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