Sligo Councillors unite to call on Housing Minister to reinstate Tenant-In-Situ scheme

By Philip Rooney, The Sligo Champion

Two motions before the October meeting of Sligo County have called on Minister for Housing James Brown and Taoiseach Michael Martin to reinstate the tenant-in-situ scheme while also increasing the funding for this scheme.

A tenant in situ scheme allows you to continue to rent your home, if your landlord is selling the rental property. This is because the local authority or the housing agency steps in and buys the property from your landlord, and then continues to rent the property to the tenant.

Outlining his motion, Cllr Arthur Gibbon sad there are currently 16,508 people in emergency accommodation in Ireland. “Some of the places no human being should be there.”

Cllr Gibbons added, “Governement needs to get its act together and at least get it back to the level it was at.”

A similar motion was also before the meeting from Cllr Michael Clarke who said, “This scheme was designed for tenants who were stuck in a place for 8-10 years and then the landlord is selling up. Now the government have pulled the carpet from under that scheme.

"This government is not serious about housing. I agree with Cllr Gibbons, there is nothing being done about housing.”

Cllr Edel McSharry supported both motions saying, “I believe this was another tool in the tool box for the Council helping people. Until we get enough council houses built this was an option to ensure further numbers of people didn’t have to go into emergency accommodation. It is trauma enducing or children and it needs to be reinstated.

Backing the motions, Cllr Gino O’Boyle added, “it makes no sense in a housing crisis.”

Cllr Declan Bree expressed disbelief the tenant-in-situ scheme was no longer being funded saying, “I ind it incredible the government isn’t providing adequate funding. It must be incredibly frustrating for staff in the housing section, they have to turn people away.

Cllr Paul Taylor also called for the scheme to be fully reinstated saying, “It’s stability for families and we have to try and have it back as soon as possible.”

Cllr Ann Higgins pointed to the side effects of homelessness saying, “There are real people behind the term homeless. We are building up a whole wealth of trauma.”

Cllr Tom MacSharry was another of the Councillors from a government party to back the motions saying, “It was one of the better schemes. Like my colleagues I was shocked it was withdrawn.”