Kerry’s ‘ridiculous rejections’ of social housing offers – ‘Nowhere to store my motorbike’

By Alastair Tibbs, The Kerryman

Kerry councillors have relayed some of the “ridiculous” reasons given from those turning down social housing offers as the county grapples with its housing waiting lists.

Killarney Municipal District (MD) heard one offer was declined because “there was nowhere to store their motorbike”, while another applicant reasoned their accommodation wouldn’t be suitable for their cat.

Killarney MD’s social housing waiting lists have seen a reduction in three-bed and four-bed applications, but one-bed figures remain stubborn.

Council officials put much of the situation down to general population changes, including those that have recently moved to Kerry and have, under law, an equal right to housing as someone from the county.

They also highlighted that building apartments which cater for single occupants has proved to be challenging, citing, among other reasons, that some social housing applicants are not interested in apartments.

Councillor John O’Donoghue felt that while preference was considered in social housing applications, anyone who turns down a social housing offer should be put to the bottom of the list.

He cited an example of someone refusing an offer because there was “nowhere to store his motorbike”, with Councillor Maura Healy-Rae later adding that there were spaces, “they just didn’t like the look of them”.

Cllr O’Donoghue also mentioned someone who contacted him, asking if the council would build a house in their back garden because cutting the lawn was “too much bother”.

Another offer was declined because “they couldn’t bring their cat with them”, according to Cllr Healy-Rae, who slammed such reasons as “ridiculous”.

The housing stock is “top of the range” she said, with “all the bells and whistles”.

“If you were in such a predicament for housing by God you’d leap and grab it with two hands. I have no time for these people.”

Cllr O’Donoghue highlighted that Killarney was a very desirable area and that anyone, anywhere in the county could select the town as their preferred location.

“To build a house around Killarney, you’d nearly have to be growing in the field yourself,” he quipped.

Council officers said that people all over Kerry will put Killarney as their first choice, particularly those with no roots in their local area. While they stressed they consider the individual situations of applicants, including the location of their relatives and friends, government policy, they said, has “zero sympathy” for those with roots.