Emergency accommodation is in big demand in West Cork

WEST Cork councillors have expressed concern over the rise in homelessness figures in Cork county.

At a meeting of the Western Divisional Committee, the director of housing confirmed that there were 32 families and 103 single people in Cork county who sought emergency accommodation to prevent them entering homelessness.

He said these figures included four families and 23 single people in West Cork.

Cllr Paul Hayes (Ind) asked the director if there had been an increase since the lifting of the eviction ban and if, as was reported to him, the availability of homeless accommodation in West Cork has dwindled to practically zero.

‘Are we maxed when it comes to emergency accommodation here in West Cork?’ is what he wanted to know.

The county mayor Cllr Danny Collins commented on the number of people coming to him for assistance because they are being evicted by their landlords.

He spoke of one couple who were given a one-month reprieve by their landlord but with nothing available to rent on the market he described their situation as desperate. ‘These people will now have to be put onto the Council for a house,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Cllr Sean O’Donovan (FF) commented on the fact that the Council is spending an average of €300,000 for new builds and he asked if the council is paying over the odds.

The director of housing Maurice Manning told the councillors that there hasn’t been a particular increase since the eviction ban was lifted, but he said they will be assessing the situation over the next number of months.

The director said he was not aware of any situation of not being able to provide emergency accommodation but it, too, is an issue that will have to be considered in Cork West, North and South.

As for the cost of houses per unit, Mr Manning said that €297,000 is ‘not expensive’ based on current building costs. He said any increase in building costs is presented to the department and additional funding is sought.

Mr Manning said the Department has also directed local authorities to acquire 1,500 properties nationally, of which 60 are to be in Cork county.

He said the funding for this scheme will also come from the Department.

Cllr Declan Hurley (Ind) asked what percent of the Council’s landbank had been developed, at this stage, and if the local authority was buying new lands for development.

‘Anything that is part of the Council’s landbank has been developed or we have plans for it,’ said Mr Manning, ‘but we are in the market for suitable land.’

‘The Council has,’ he added, ‘introduced the land acquisition fund which will not require borrowing because it will be funded through the housing agency.’