Wexford mother awaiting surgery allegedly told to vacate emergency accommodation by local council

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

A mother-of-one who is awaiting surgery to alleviate a “very serious health condition” has allegedly been told by Wexford County Council (WCC) to vacate her emergency accommodation in two months time. Raising the issue on behalf of the woman in question, Councillor Aoife Rose O’Brien said the tenant was unable to work at the moment but had a “payment plan in place with the council.”

“She has very serious health conditions and is currently unable to work as she awaiting surgery,” said Cllr O’Brien at the January meeting of WCC. “She also has a teenage daughter who is suffering with her mental health. This woman has been told she only has two more months left in emergency accommodation, at which point there will be no more services provided to her.”

Cllr Aoife Rose O'Brien. Pic: Jim Campbell

Cllr O’Brien said she had raised the issue via the WCC’s online portal but had not received a response from the relevant department and, as a result, had been left with no choice but to bring it to the council meeting.

“Is this normal procedure?” she asked. “What could be the reason for it?”

In response, director of housing Carolyne Godkin said she was unable to discuss the “details of individual cases” in a public forum but that it was not WCC’s “job to make people homeless” and “not procedure” to put people out (on the street).”