Motion to be rewritten after councillors clash over call ‘to supervise’ homeless accommodation
South Dublin councillors engaged in a heated debate over the need to “supervise” people in homeless accommodation.
A now-withdrawn motion, from Independent Ireland councillor Linda DeCourcy, called for the provision of care or supervision to be mandatory for developers seeking to run homeless accommodation in larger properties.
"We have limited companies running homeless accommodation – my concern is that these companies are making an awful lot of money on homeless accommodation without providing the care that is necessary,” said Cllr DeCourcy at a South Dublin County Council (SDCC) meeting.
“In recent weeks, I’ve become aware of a nine-bedroom house in Clondalkin and a six-bed in Rathfarnham. These are not purpose-built – you might be in a single room in a house where you can’t lock the door or you need to share a bathroom.”
Supporting the motion, Independent councillor Patrick Holohan, said the changes in planning permission should be made to properties with more than three bedrooms.
“These companies are profiting off of people’s misfortune – a three bed is adequate, but for anything more where there are multiple families in the same accommodation, there needs to be appropriate care, management and security,” he said.
“You should not be able to apply for Section 5 without the provision of supporting services, providing homeless accommodation by itself is not enough to qualify.”
A Section 5 declaration allows property owners to seek an exemption in planning permission.
Sinn Féin councillor Louise Dunne said she would not support the motion as it "stigmatised” people in homeless accommodation.
“These families are diverse – they are working families and individuals who are being evicted and having to avail of homeless services. Saying they need to be supervised is nonsensical,” she said.
“At first you came for the migrants, now you’re coming for the homeless. The homeless are being marginalised and stigmatised – it is not the case that they need care and supervision.”
Director of Community for South Dublin County Council (SDCC), Eoin Burke, said that making such a change in the planning process would require changing the county’s development plan.
“Those seeking permission are diverse – these are different buildings and different types of accommodation,” said Mr Burke.
“We can’t change the planning regulations by this motion. If a developer seeks an exemption in planning permission, to make a mandatory provision of care – it would mean deciding what “care” is in planning terms – that doesn’t exist in our development plan.”
Labour councillor Paddy Cosgrave agreed with the motion saying “locals have fears” when homeless accommodation was introduced into new areas.
“People who are homeless who are not being looked after by the state are thrown into these houses with no care or management structure in them,” he said.
“These institutions need to be run properly and not by private organisations. The reason why there are protests against such accommodation in any area is because local residents have fears.
"If people are homeless, they have problems – it’s the biggest problem in this country – to be thrown into a one-bed with no facilities and nothing else is not what we want."
While councillors agreed that private players were “profiteering” from such accommodations, they refused to support the motion over its language.
“I know of pensioners who have fallen into homelessness, a mother and son who need accommodation because their landlord is selling – those people don’t need supervision – all they need is a roof over their head,” said Sinn Féin councillor Niamh Whelan.
"I’m against companies making millions off this, but I cannot support the language in it – ordinary people are falling into homelessness. We do not need to ‘fear’ them.”
People Before Profit councillor Kay Keane noted that support was already in place for people in homelessness.
“There are key workers to support people in homelessness – not to supervise or tell people what to do. There is something in place already that supports families,” said Cllr Keane.
"It’s disgraceful to say people are afraid of homeless people – these include young children being told that they have to move from their homes. All they want is a safe space to sleep. I have never felt afraid, never felt threatened by them, only helpless for them.”
Councillor DeCourcy agreed to rewrite the motion and to table it again at the next council meeting in May.