ELEVEN NEW UNITS of social housing will open this week in Dublin city centre, providing secure housing for people in need.
St Agatha’s Court consists of 11 social housing apartments located in Dublin’s north inner city. The apartments were developed out of a derelict block of local authority flats which were scheduled for demolition.
The project was developed and will be managed by homeless charity the Peter McVerry Trust.
Speaking at the opening of the event today, homelessness campaigner FR Peter McVerry said the development was needed, and that the Government’s housing action plan is failing to help homeless people.
“You have to look at the results. Homelessness has gone up every single month since the plan was launched so in my view it’s not working,” said McVerry.
“It still depends very heavily on the private rental sector to house homeless people through the HAP scheme.
“I think the reliance on the private tenant sector is a more a cause of the problem we have today so I don’t see it as solution to the problem.”
The Rebuilding Ireland plan was launched by Government last July, with a view to ending Ireland’s housing crisis. Homeless has consistently gotten worse in the 11 months since the plan was launched.
Latest figures for April show that there were just under 5,000 homeless adults living in emergency accommodation in Ireland and 1,302 families.
Also speaking at the event today, Minister of State For Housing and Urban Renewal Damien English defended the plan, saying that a lot of work was still left to do.
“The priority [of the plan] had to be to deal with people who are homeless and had been living as homeless for the past number of years,” English told TheJournal.ie.
“But a lot has been too to keep people in their homes.
English pointed to increased rent protections, working with banks to keep people in their homes, and better tenant protection services as ways in which this is being done.
However, he conceded that the problem of homelessness does to continue to get worse.
“While last year, over 3,000 people left homelessness… just as many became homeless again so we’re finding it hard to get ahead of the numbers,” he said.
But the trends are starting to go in the right direction.
In relation to Housing Minister Simon Coveney’s commitment to only using hotels to house homeless families in limited circumstances, English said that the Government was “on track” to achieving this goal.
He said that homeless figures for May and June would show significant decreases in the number of homeless families staying in commercial hotels.
St Agatha’s Court
The €1.4 million social housing project will have the Peter McVerry Trust as a landlord. 10 of the apartments will be one bedroom, while one will be two bedrooms for a small family.
Louise, one of the tenants soon to move into the building, spoke to TheJournal.ie in her new apartment about what having her own home meant to her.
“I love it it’s just huge,” she said.
It means a lot to be here.
Louise became addicted to drugs at a young age.She said that she fought hard to beat her addiction and was now looking forward to moving on with her life.
“I was in addiction and I fought to get clean and get where I am today, because if I didn’t I wouldn’t be here,” she said.
It feels like a dream, like I’m going to wake up.
The units bring to 50 the total number of apartments delivered by the PMV Trust by re-using existing buildings.
“We have been working on this source of housing since 2014 and we believe there remains significant scope to create more housing by better using our existing building stock,” said Pat Doyle.
Our goal now is to continue to develop these capital projects and significantly increase the number of housing units provided by Peter McVerry Trust into the future.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
You have to love Ireland, a nation of begrudges, the poor girl was homeless and she needed our assistance.I pay my tax and I am happy it’s used to help our vulnerable citizens instead of the elite and bankers.
I hope none of you ever have to deal with any of these circumstances that the homeless have to deal with on a daily basis.
@cholly appleseed: maybe she grew up in different circumstances to you, you privileged fool.
@Billy McNamara: I’m a robot because I think a junkie doesn’t deserves a free house having never continued in her life. OK so
@cholly appleseed: she has achieved freedom from. Addiction Ann’s that’s a huge achievement..who knows what she might achieve now..i hope you never fall on hardtimes ..you judgemental person..you know NOTHING of her story but act like you know it all
@Marian Redmond: any addict will tell you they are never truly free from addiction. Correct but I know enough about city centre housing to know the kinds they house first.
Why was every single one of Freds comments deleted Journal? Did you not like the narrative he was putting across? Or do you not like the fact that his comments were very popular? This publication has gone to the absolute dogs.
@Ray Browne: 100% agree. I’m delighted for this lady. She gets a second chance at life. Life is short and we are all connected.
@cholly appleseed: But what if she goes onto get a job from this and contribute economically, shouldn’t she be given that chance?
@Ray Browne: everyone is a bad decision away from being homeless..
@Ray Browne: my thoughts exactly Ray!!.
Whilst this is good news, the inner city should be reserved for those working in fulltime employment. People should be allocated to areas that suit their lifestyle.
The road to this was not easy and I must applaud the young woman for turning her life around,yet it does leave a bitter taste in the mouths of those who do the right thing and still .through no fault of their own are left wanting.It is not easy getting 30,000 euro for a deposit..it takes a lot of hard work and it is not rewarded in this country..that is a fact
Good luck to all concerned – and well done¡
Why is the inner city constantly getting social housing? It’s at breaking point. There are 75 more units up the road from at agathas being built.
Why is there not more of these units available to the squeezed middle class who are working in city centre, paying bills and usually commuting 2/3 hours a day?
@Blah blah: because the empty vessels make the most noise. It’s the workers that are too busy to bang on the door
Why is answer to homelessness a free house for life?
Not begrudging anyone but think if you have a finite budget then rather than individual new apartments for a handful of people could we not accomodate larger amounts of people in more sensible accommodations.
On continent the build blocks of hotel type accommodation with 8-9 private rooms per floor sharing common areas (kitchen and bathroom)
Not ideal long term but same budget can house 70/80 rather than 11. Not something you would want to live in for rest of your life, but not meant to be. Meant to be a helping hand until you are able to stand on own feet and find something nicer using your own resources.
Fact is we will never get to end of housing list housing people one at a time
Awaiting the arrival of the Journal experts to tell us there is no homeless problem, just a bunch of people holding out for their preferred areas. Does this happen? yes, does it happen as the Journal experts believe, absolutely not.
@Dante Marquinhos:
Why should she have a preferred area? She’s dependent on the taxpayer for charity.
@Fred Jensen: because it’s close to her methadone clinic. Honestly
@Fred Jensen: @Fred Jensen: It’s called having a support network. I know you think just sticking someone into a accommodation is all that is required, problem solved.
@Dante Marquinhos: 49% refusal rate in Cork. How high does it have to be before you would stop denying it is happening? http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/property-mortgages/families-turn-down-social-housing-due-to-lack-of-space-garden-or-parking-34359743.html
@Fred Jensen: By having a place to call home and moving on with her life maybe she will indeed become a very productive person where she just may get work and not be dependent of the state for help. God forbid if you or one of your own ever ended up needing charity from the taxpayer, what goes around comes around Karma is a B*
Good news. More of this needed.
Respect to that brave and determined young woman.
It is a tiny but well designed space.
It is one small good news story but it shows what can be done.
@Tony Daly: no respect at all and shes not brave. In fact she is the opposite
“working with banks to keep people in their homes”. What a load of nonsense!! More like; this Government worked with vulture funds to ensure anyone with debt issues are kicked out their homes.
Anyone for Minister for Housing: Peter McVerry?
@Eamonn O’Riain: free gaffs for everyone. Can’t see that work….
@Conor W: no free gaffs to junkies first
@Eamonn O’Riain: Peter McVerry is 35 years dealing with the homeless crisis. What does that say about the problem ?
@cholly appleseed: must kill you to see someone else over coming something you’re probably up to you’re eyes in bills hahahhaa keep hating
Cue the poor haters comments
@abcyz: I see you won the race. Best of luck to her in her new home.
@David Byrne: Meanwhile the poor haters have no problem with welfare for Apple, bondholders, vulture funds, Seany & now HAP which is unlimited dole for landlords and FIS which is unlimited dole for poverty paying employers
@abcyz: Interesting finding. How many poor haters did you survey on that extensive list of topics?
@Neal Ireland Hello.: There is always vile comments towards anyone needing housing here with the right wing “they just want a free house” crowd who have no problem with welfare for Apple bondholders vulture funds Seany(who cost us 34 Billion) FIS for poverty paying employers & hugely profitable companies & now HAP for the landlords of which many of FG are so HAP is for them when we need proper council houses built now like we did even in the 1920s when we a new and very poor state
@abcyz: poor haters?
What about those working full time in city centre, can’t get a mortgage in Dublin and pushed out to commuter towns, driving a few hours a day for work and missing out in family time. I think the homeless crew and dcc housing are middle class haters
@Blah blah: You voted FG & FF & their Labour liers sidekicks for generations over and over again & that’s the country you get
A great refurbishment. A credit to the builders, planners, Mc Verry trust and all involved.
A beautiful renovation of proper homes.
In no time residents will feel part of the community if they are not already are.
Delighted.
The Journal removing comments and censoring people. How progressive of you.
The housing shortage is not going to be solved any time soon, if ever, the way things are going. The banks, the regulators, and NAMA have done more damage to this country than if we were bombed from the air.
@Fred Jensen: God help you. If you go through life with that sort of attitude, you’ll never be content. We are a society, not an economy.
@Angela: I would disagree with Fred on most things however on this problem he has good point, for every house being provided, someone else is paying for it, of course it’s an economy, unless you think they can be provided for free?
@Scundered: that’s not true every council property has a rent on it, you must pay rent and each house hold pays per person working or income coming into the house. Even if you are in receipt of a welfare payment you will pay by the differential system They council uses a differential rent system all incomes are calculated in order to qualify for a “Council House or Flat” you income must be below a limit.
@Charliegrl80: well said ! but I don’t think the begrudgers are interested in the facts
@Charliegrl80: how long do you think it would take for someone with subsidised rent to pay off a house costing 300k to build?
I’d love a free apartment
“My name is Jacqueline McCafferty…”
Are homeless people given ownership of these apartments & can stay in them regardless if their circumstances improve.
Wow 11 Wow. How much work did that take.
@cholly appleseed: oh so she is an empty vessel because she’s poor .. how very classist of you
@Ray Browne: most of your income tax IS used to line the pockets of the rich, actually
have your say