Homeless families move into new social housing development in Dublin
Forty families have been moved off the housing waiting list and into new homes in Dublin today.
A new €10.5m social housing development on the Richmond Road in Drumcondra was officially opened earlier.
The 40 unit apartment block is made up of one to three-bedroom homes.
The residents range in age from one to 84.
Egle Riaukiele who was living in emergency accommodation with her two daughters said they were very happy to get the keys.
She said: "We came first day over here to have a look...we feel like we're in a home. We feel secure."
17-year-old Gabi Riaukaite has moved into the development on the Richmond Road after spending a year living with her mam and little sister in a hotel. She said life was hard there.
She said: "Since I was doing the Leaving Cert, it was very hard for me to find a place to study so I would often go out to a restaurant or a cafe."
She added: "There's a lot of space here, there's a lot of security as well. I can finally bring my friends over because in the hotel I wasn't allowed to bring anyone over."
Local councillor Donna Cooney said she was sad to hear a resident say they felt like they had won the lotto.
"I mean this would feel like you won the lottery to move into these, this is wonderful accommodation, but it shouldn't feel like that," she said.
"It should be a standard thing that everybody that needs housing gets this type of quality of housing and they shouldn't have to wait for 10, 12, 15 years before they get that."
