The Government has been called on to stop the eviction of five homeless families living in emergency accommodation at a Dublin city centre hotel that has gone into receivership.
Independent TD Thomas Pringle spoke in the Dáil on Thursday afternoon to highlight the case of the families that have been asked to leave the Lynam's Hotel by Saturday.
The property on Upper O’Connell Street will be handed over to the receiver on August 1st.
National Asset Management Agency (Nama) appointed receiver Aiden Murphy last September.
Mr Pringle said he was aware Dublin City Council (DCC) had been in negotiations to extend the time for the families to stay.
“But this system is broken as all the city council can offer families is more inadequate and insecure accommodation for short periods of time,” he said.
Mr Pringle said the families, who had young children, needed secure accommodation so they could work on getting a permanent home.
“These families are being destroyed. They are currently living hour-to-hour with very little information, no support and no key worker from the council, which they were promised ten days ago as well.” he said.
Mr Pringle said one woman and her 18-month-old daughter became homeless in March this year, and had moved between hotels and bed and breakfasts since then.
“This is completely inappropriate for a young child, as they live in a single room with no way of getting bottles heated or storing milk and the family is obliged to rely on fast food,” he said.
He also described the situation for a homeless family of seven living in the hotel, whose five children have to travel to Dublin 15 for school each morning.
He said the family had no laundry or cooking facilities.
Mr Pringle said to the Minister of State for Housing Damien English the Government should intervene to direct Nama to lease the building to DCC.
Mr English said the suggestion had “logic” and he would discuss it with officials.
The Minister said the council were looking to negotiating an extension of time for the vacant possession with the receiver and he was hopeful the discussions would have a “favourable outcome” before Saturday.
Mr English said this situation was “exactly what we are trying to put an end to” with the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness plan launched this week.
He said part of the plan was that by mid-2017 hotels would only be used for emergency accommodation in very limited circumstances and “not at all, if possible”.
A rally in support of the five homeless families took place on Friday and another is planned for Saturday.
